You Know What They Do To Girls Like Us In Brighter Days? Chapter 16 and 17 Posted!

[snowwhite]

This is a fantastic, dystopian world that you give us here.
What bothers me about Preston is that a lot of it is extremely unbelievable.
Here a certain reality is possible at any time or not so far-fetched.
Her narrative pace is great.
Thank you so much for sharing this story.
You caught me, I'm a follower from now on. I would love to read more.
Thanks again
best wish snow white

[Chels in Ribbons]

2 minutes ago, snowwhite said:

What bothers me about Preston is that a lot of it is extremely unbelievable.

I'm not sure what you mean by Preston! I'm unfamiliar with them/that. But I'm so glad you're enjoying it! I should have new chapters up tonight or tomorrow!

[BabySofia]

18 minutes ago, Chels in Ribbons said:

I'm not sure what you mean by Preston!

There's a couple of authors that have written in a town called Preston. 

 To be honest they're a little harsher than I tend to like to read.

Looking forward to when you resume more postings!

[Chels in Ribbons]

On 2/22/2024 at 9:34 AM, reginold said:

Yay! Im thinking of trying my own hand at this setting. 

 

Though mine will be more smutty... dont judge me! If you do I will summon... danny dorito. 

It's an interesting setting! I have a feeling this won't be the only story I write in this setting because there are a lot of other kinds of stories to explore in this universe. And don't worry, this will get smutty.

51 minutes ago, BabySofia said:

There's a couple of authors that have written in a town called Preston. 

Ah, gotcha! Thanks for the explanation!

Alright, kiddos.

I really do apologize for taking such a long hiatus from this story. I've been very busy with work and, honestly, I'm going through some shitty things in my rl. I had originally really wanted to do weekly updates, but, at least for right now, I'm not sure I can promise that. BUT! Don't worry, however long I go between updates, I will definitely not be abandoning this story. Thank you all for your patience, and I hope you find it worth the wait!

But, alright. Here we go. Neeeewwwwwwww chapters; go!

Chapter Twelve

            Rei thought about texting Riley that morning; she had wanted to text Riley, but she thought it prudent not to—that is, the questions she wanted to ask Riley were not questions she wanted a record of asking.

            So, instead, Rei sought out Riley at lunch. She wasn’t even sure Riley would be there, but most students at her school had the same schedule Monday and Wednesday, so it was safe to assume Riley would be having lunch around the same time the two had run into each other earlier in the week. And, as predicted, she found her easily enough.

            Riley was sitting alone on one of the patio tables in the farthest corner. The day was warmer than it had been for the past two weeks, but still chilly enough to keep most of the student body off the patio and inside. Riley sat on the black crisscross tabletop with her cafeteria tray of food next to her and her combat boots on the attached bench. Her mop of curly blue hair was free today, and she wore an oversized black and red knit cardigan over a band shirt at least three sizes too big tucked into a black pencil skirt over fishnets. She sat facing perpendicular to the direction from which Rei approached, giving the latter plenty of time to admire the former as she approached. And admire she did.

            Riley was so different from the other girls; she oozed maturity and a sort of effortless cool. Riley was confident, sure of herself, in a world that pressured her to be anything but that. Rei couldn’t explain it, but she found herself craving Riley’s approval. Rei found herself getting nervous as she approached; she was self-conscious of her light pink blouse and black maxi skirt, worried that Riley would find it childish or immature or just…not cool. That’s what it came down to: Rei desperately wanted Riley to think she was cool.

            “Uh, hey,” Rei said, off to a great start.

            Riley turned towards the girl and grinned, “hey, Rei, what’s up?” She slid down from table to sit on the bench itself, albeit backwards, and gestured for Rei to sit next to her. “I see you went for the chicken tenders today too,” Riley said lightheartedly, gesturing to a half-eaten plate of the same on her tray.

            Rei laughed, a little nervously, “yeah,” she said, and immediately had nothing else to say as she slid on to the bench next to Riley.

            “You okay?” Riley asked, sensing some tension in the other girl.

            “I don’t know, are we?”

            Riley sucked her teeth. “You worried about what happened with Melanie and Josie?”

            Rei nodded.

            “They are solid; they won’t give up any names.”

            “Are you sure?”

            “Yeah,” Riley said without hesitation. “Look,” she added a beat later, “I know it’s scary, but…we all knew what we were getting into, yeah? Melanie and Josie certainly did, and they were ready to accept those consequences. They aren’t going to give up any information that might hurt any of us or the group, okay?” Riley was only mostly certain of what she was saying, but she needed to sound confident to put Rei at ease. Rei getting worked up and worrying wouldn’t help anyone, and, besides, Riley felt a sort of instinct to protect the younger girl. Riley was, after all, the apparent leader of the group.

            “Thanks, Riley,” Rei said after she had digested the other girl’s words for a moment. “That makes me feel a little better.”

            “And, hey, look, if you ever feel like you are in over your head, no one will judge you if you want out, you know that, right?” Riley wanted Rei to stay with the group, it gave Riley a reason to keep talking to her, but it was important to her that Rei knew no one was forcing her to stay. Riley was already in to deep, but it wasn’t too late for Rei.

            Rei took a bite of one of her chicken tenders and chewed slowly. She was scared, of course she was scared, but she was just as scared of what would happen to the world if girls like her and groups like Rebel stopped fighting back. And then there was the simple fact that she didn’t want to let Riley down. She didn’t want to let any of her fellow Rebels down, for that matter. “So,” Rei said after a long moment, “what’s the next job going to be anyway?”

            Riley snorted laughter. “I don’t know yet,” she said when her laughter died down, “but…probably something smaller. We need to lay low for a bit, I think.”

            Rei nodded, embarrassed by how relieved she felt to hear that.

            “I don’t know,” Riley continued, “just check your burner every Friday, like usual; we’ll probably announce the next meeting soon.”

            The two sat in silence for a long moment after that, Rei picking at her food while Riley stared off across the lake behind their campus. It wasn’t an awkward silence, but it wasn’t, exactly, a comfortable silence either. Rei was desperately searching her brain for something to say the whole time, but it was Riley who finally broke the silence.

            “So, how are things with your mom?”

            And it was the topic Rei least wanted to talk about.

            She shrugged, “She hasn’t really mentioned what happened, but she did pull me out of that class.” A second shrug, “I guess I’m just lucky she let me stay in college at all.”

            “You really think she might put you in one of those extended high school programs?”

            “I don’t know,” Rei replied honestly, “I wouldn’t have thought so at one point, but…then Monday night happened, and…” she trailed off.

            “And now everything seems topsy turvy?” Riley picked up the thought, and Rei nodded in agreement. “You don’t think she’d…do…ya know, anything else, do you?”

            Rei blushed at even the thought of what Riley might be referring to. “God, no, mom thinks all that stuff is like…kinda weird.”

            “More than kinda,” Riley interjected.

            “So, I don’t think she’d ever go that far, thankfully.”

            “Well, hey, you know, if you do get sent off to one of those extended high school programs, I mean…you know, you’ve got my number, so we can still be friends.” Riley was trying desperately to sound nonchalant, like it didn’t matter that much to her, but she was terrified her new friend would one day disappear without warning and she wanted, no, needed the other girl to know she could still reach out.

            “Yeah?” Rei asked, trying to hide how excited she was that Riley had said they were friends, and more so at the implication that Riley wanted to continue being friends even if Rei could no longer attend college. “I’d…really like that.”

            “Sure, of course,” Riley smiled. “Besides, you can brag to all your new high school friends that you have a friend in college.”

            Rei couldn’t help but laugh; it was exactly the kind of thing the popular girls at her high school would have bragged about. It was probably an even bigger brag these days.

            “What kind of classes do they teach in those programs anyway?” Riley asked. “I mean, I know it’s basically housewife training, but is that it?”

            Rei shrugged; she hadn’t really looked into it much. “I think it’s like…cooking classes and stuff like that. Probably a whole semester on how to get stains out of different fabrics. Probably child raising classes, as if I would ever want to have children.”

            Riley pulled out her phone while Rei was still talking about began tapping furiously on the screen. “Well, I don’t know about a whole semester on getting stains out, but you’re partially right; it’s a lot of like home ec kind of classes. But they do also have continuing education in the core subjects like Math, English, History, and Science, and other electives.”

            “Wait, really?” Rei was surprised. She had genuinely thought it was just to get you ready to be a housewife.

            “Yeah, this website says ‘extended high school programs are designed to give your daughter a high-quality, college-level education free from the radical leftist bias prevalent in so many colleges and universities’” she read off the screen of her phone, then added, “Kinda creepy, if you ask me.”

            “Why creepy?”

            “Like, they act like colleges and universities are brainwashing us to be leftist radicals, but can you honestly tell me this isn’t its own form of brainwashing? Raising girls who can’t and won’t question their own infantilization, oppression, and marginalization? That’s all these schools do. ‘High-quality, college-level’ my ass. I’ll tell you what it is,” Riley shifted on the bench to face Rei directly, “it’s just a reflection of the anti-intellectualism this whole bullshit movement has been built on, ya know? They have their whole “facts over feelings” mantra, but it’s a façade, because in reality, in truth, the facts don’t back up what they say, so they change the facts, change the narrative, and say anything that says otherwise is biased. It’s fucked up. It’s downright sinister, ya know?”

            “You’re right,” Rei agreed enthusiastically, “God, I wish I could get my mom to understand that. She thinks the education I want to get is political, but you’re right, it’s only political because people who don’t like the conclusions it teaches have made it political!”

            “Damn right, girl,” Riley encouraged the younger girl.

            “I just…” Rei sighed, losing her momentum, “I just wish she could see that.”

            “I wish a lot of people could see that,” Riley responded, faint frustrating in her voice. “You wanna get out of here?” She asked suddenly.

            “Wait, what do you mean?”

            “I mean, let’s blow off afternoon classes, go do something fun.”

            Rei laughed nervously; was Riley joking? “I…I can’t skip class.”

            “Why not? It won’t hurt to miss a class. Besides, this time next week you could be at an extended high school program, so who cares?”

            Rei internally flinched at Riley’s jab or joke or whatever it was. She had a point, but it was a point Rei didn’t like having pointed out.

            “Sorry,” Riley said, picking up on the girl’s lackluster reaction. “It’s just…I don’t know, I feel restless, I guess.” And I want to spend more time with you, Riley thought but didn’t say.

            Rei chewed her bottom lip, tempted to go, but certain her mother would somehow find out. Wait, that was a good question, did colleges report when you were absent like high schools did? Once upon a time, she would have assumed not, but now it was anyone’s guess, especially for students who were still minors. “I…really don’t want to miss class…” Rei said at least, more than a little regretful.

            “Look, if you’re worried about your mom finding out,” Riley said, as if she could read the other girl’s mind, “then just go to class, excuse yourself to the restroom after attendance, and, poof, you’re gone.”

            “Won’t they notice me taking all my stuff to the restroom?”

            Riley shrugged, “leave your stuff with me.”

            Rei’s stomach was full of butterflies. She had never skipped class, not even in high school. But here was Riley, who she desperately wanted to think she was cool, inviting her to skip class and go hang out. Rei glanced at her phone screen; her afternoon class started in thirty minutes, she had to decide soon.

            “Come on,” Riley coaxed, “it’ll be fun.”

            “What would we even do?”

            Riley shrugged, “hang out, chill, maybe go to the mall? I don’t know, anything is better than being here today, if you ask me.”

            Rei took a deep breath, then laughed nervously. “Okay,” she said, “let’s do it.”

            “Yeah?”

            “Yeah.”

            “Come on then,” without a moment of hesitation, Riley grabbed Rei’s wrist and ran off giggling, pulling the other girl behind her and leaving their discarded lunch trays behind.

 

 

Chapter Thirteen

            Riley sipped on her lemonade and handed Rei the last bite of the pretzel they were splitting.

            “Aliens,” Riley said.

            Rei laughed and popped the last piece of pretzel in her mouth, chewing while she thought out her reply.

            “Probably real,” she said once she had swallowed, “well, almost certainly real, but only probably have visited Earth before.”

            “Probably isn’t the game,” Riley shot back, “do you personally think they have?”

            Rei took a sip of her own lemonade and pondered the question. “Mmm, yes, but I don’t think they’ve abducted people.”

            “You think they just like…observe?”

            “Yeah! Like scientists, ya know? Observing wildlife in its natural habitat.”

            “So that’s what we are to them?”

            “Probably!” Rei giggled at the thought.

            The mall food court was nearly empty on this weekday afternoon, but a few tables were occupied throughout the mass of them. Rei couldn’t help but keep looking over at a mother a few tables away spoon-feeding her daughter, who seemed to fall into helpless giggles every time her mother flew an airplane her way. Rei wasn’t sure, but she thought she might have gone to high school with the girl.

            “What do you think the aliens think of all that?” Riley said, noticing the trajectory of Rei’s distant stare.

            Rei didn’t answer immediately; she was considering the scene in front of her, trying to assess it like an alien who didn’t quite understand the cultural history that had led to this tableau. As Rei watched, the girl in the oversized highchair stopped giggling and scrunched up her face. For a moment, Rei wasn’t sure what she was watching, but it only took her a moment to figure it out: the girl was filling her diaper. Rei’s soul wretched a little, and she forced herself to turn away.

            “Um, how about ghosts?” she asked Riley, ignoring the other girl’s previous question.

            “Oh, definitely real,” Riley said, easily rolling with Rei’s change of subject. “But I don’t think most of them can, like, hurt or affect us. Hell, maybe none of them can.”

            Rei chuckled, “I thought I saw a ghost once when I was a kid.”

            “Tell me everything.”

            Rei felt her cheeks heat up; she normally didn’t tell anyone this story out of fear of being made fun of. She studied Riley’s face, trying to determine if Riley was baiting her into telling an embarrassing story or if she was genuinely interested. Riley seemed nothing but the latter.

            “Well,” she began, tentatively, “I mean, first of all, you have to understand, I was like seven at the time.”

            “Uh huh,” Riley nodded and gently encouraged Rei to continue.

            “And it was like shortly after my grandmother died.”

            “And then you saw her ghost?”

            Rei blushed but nodded. “I woke up one night in the middle of the night…something like two or three AM, and I think I went downstairs to get a glass of water or something. Like, I went downstairs, but I don’t remember what for.” Riley was nodding along as she listened. “And…sorry, this isn’t, like, an exciting story or anything.”

            “No, no, go on!” Riley urged.

            “Well, I went downstairs and…well, the first thing I noticed was the all the kitchen cabinets were just standing open.”

            “Oh, creepy,” Riley replied.

            “Yeah! And then like, I saw her just…sitting at the dining room table.”

            “You’re sure it was her?”

            “Definitely! I…” Rei blushed, “well, it scared me so bad I went running upstairs, crying the whole way, and jumped in bed with my parents.”

            “Wait, but how was that scary?” Riley asked incredulously.

            “I don’t know!” Rei laughed and threw up her hands, “I was like seven and I just saw a ghost! What about you, have you ever seen a ghost?”

            Riley smiled and shrugged, “nah. Some friends and I once tried to do a séance in a graveyard when I was in high school, had a Ouija board and everything, but all we saw was some cops that chased us off.”

            “Maybe you should try again one night.”

            “Oh yeah? What, you wanna join me?”

            “Maybe,” Rei said coyly.

            Riley grinned, “yeah, whatever, you’d probably scream and run away the moment we heard a noise or something.”

            “I was seven!” Rei cried in her defense. “I’d totally be brave enough now.”

            “I’m pretty sure I do still have that Ouija board…”

            “I’m serious! I’d totally do it.”

            “Alright,” Riley replied, sounding a bit smug, “but don’t complain when I drag you out to a graveyard one night to summon spirits.”

            “I can handle it,” Rei insisted.

            She took another sip of her lemonade, sucking up the last little bits, and leaned back in her chair, looking out over the food court again. The mother and her daughter had left; Rei could guess where they had gone off to easily enough.

            “Wanna go check out some stores?” Riley said after it was clear the conversation was in a lull. “What time do you need to be home by?”

            Rei looked at her phone, “not for another hour or so,” she replied. “Where’d you have in mind?”

            Riley looked at Rei for a moment, studying her face, before speaking, “you ever think about how good you’d like in eyeliner? We could go shopping for some make-up for you.”

            Rei let out a single sarcastic syllable of a laugh. “Yeah right, mom would kill me. She’s always been against me wearing make-up.”

            “So? She doesn’t have to know. Put it on in the school bathroom at the beginning of the day and take it off before you go home.”

            Rei chewed her lip a little embarrassedly, “and then there’s the fact that I have no idea how to put any kind of make-up on.”

            “Wait, really?”

            “Really! I told you, mom was always against it, she never taught me. Hell, she doesn’t really wear make-up either.”

            “Okay, well, we definitely need to fix that, okay?”

            Rei didn’t have time to respond; Riley jumped up from the table, grabbed their trash, and walked off with it, giving Rei the option of either staying behind or following. She caught up to Riley just as she was dumping their trash.

            “Come on,” she grabbed Rei’s hand and started leading her through the mall without needing to consult a map.

            A few moments later, the pair approached a store Rei had passed before, but had never entered: Sephora. The storefront was not huge, but it was bigger than Rei imagined was needed just to sell make-up, a thought that demonstrated just how clueless Rei was when it came to cosmetics.

            “Hold on there, girls,” a stern voice stopped the pair in their tracks as they approached the doorway. An older woman with crow’s feet creasing the pale ivory of her skin wearing a beige skirt suit with white high heels approached the pair, stopping directly in their path with her arms crossed over her chest. “Sorry, unattended children are not allowed in this store. You’ll have to come back with your parents.”

            Riley made a noise that was halfway between annoyed and disgusted as she fished her wallet out of her purse and flipped it open, “I’m emancipated, okay?”

            The woman raised her eyebrow at Riley, studied the ID being held out in front of her, and sighed. “Fine, but what about her?”

            “She’s with me,” Riley replied.

            “No unaccompanied children,” the woman shot back.

            “What the fuck?” Riley exclaimed, making the older woman visibly flinch at the profanity. “I’m an adult, so I’m accompanying her!”

            “Are you her parent?”

            The altercation was beginning to draw on-lookers and rubber-neckers. Rei could feel them staring at her, and, worse, she couldn’t tell if they were sympathetic or accusatory stares.

            “You just said she had to be accompanied; you didn’t say anything about a parent!” Riley loudly insisted.

            “Well, I am now,” more store employees were making their way to the front of the store now, flanking the older woman who Rei assumed was in a managerial position over the less formally dressed workers with nametags on their shirts. “And quite frankly, young lady, emancipated or not, I’m not so sure I want you in my store if this is the way you conduct yourself.”

            Rei was standing a foot behind Riley, blushing and holding back tears as Riley and this stranger debated over her like…well…like she was a child. Her reaction to it only made her feel more childish, but she couldn’t help how hot her cheeks were burning under the gaze of the audience and the judgement of this woman.

            “This is fucked up,” Riley growled, “just let us in, okay?”

            “Watch your language, young lady, or I’ll—”

            “You’ll what? Tell my mom? I told you, lady, I’m emancipated, bitch.”

            The older lady furrowed her brow hard, “I won’t ask you again. If you insist on being vulgar, I’ll call security and have them check just how authentic that emancipation card is.”

            Riley stared the woman down for a long moment, her jaw clenched and eyes on fire, “are you seriously accusing me of having a fake emancipation card?”

            The woman just smirked in response, “there’s a Forever 15 down that way,” the lady pointed the way they came, “and a Justice and a Claire’s that way,” she pointed in the opposite direction. “I’m sure you’ll find them better suited to…clientele such as yourself.”

            “Go ahead,” Riley planted her feet and crossed her arms in mimicry of the older woman, “call security. They’ll confirm my ID is real and you’ll have to let us shop here.”

            “Riley?” Rei managed to quietly croak out from her tightening throat. Neither woman seemed to notice her.

            “And what do you think is going to happen to your little friend, hm?” The lady responded smugly. “You may be emancipated, but she’s a minor; do you think her parents will be happy to pick her up from mall security?”

            That clearly caught Riley off guard, her anger dropping for just a second before it came roaring back in defense of her friend, “just…fuck you, okay?” It was just too bad all of that anger was impotent, and Riley knew it. “Come on, let’s go find some place to shop where the employees aren’t all fucking cunts.” Then Riley turned on her heel and stomped off.

            Rei gave the older lady, who was positively fuming, an apologetic look, not because she felt bad about what Riley had said, but just…well, she wasn’t sure why. Then she hurried to follow after Riley.

            “I can’t believe that bitch,” Riley muttered when Rei had caught up to her. “We’ll find another store, okay?”

            “Hey, Riley?”

            “There’s like three other make-up stores in this mall, okay? Not all of them will be staffed by conservative old bitches.”

            “Yeah, but…”

            “I can’t believe she threatened to call security, what a bitch move.”

            “Hey, Riley, stop,” Rei reached out and grabbed Riley’s upper arm to get her attention. “Please, can we just go?”

            Riley turned to face Rei, and all the anger immediately went out of her. Rei was close to trembling, and her eyes were glassy with unshed tears. “Shit,” Riley said quietly, pulling Rei into a hug. “I’m sorry; I didn’t even think about how that affected you.”

            “It’s okay,” Rei hugged Riley back, burying her face in the soft fabric of Riley’s cardigan. “But…please, I just want to go home, okay?”

            “Yeah,” Riley said softly, “we’ll get you home.”

 

 

Chapter Fourteen

            “So, is this your mom’s car?” Rei asked as they cruised down the street, wind whipping in through the open windows. Rei’s hair was put up in a messy bun to keep it from tangling; meanwhile, Riley’s hair whipped haphazardly around her face.

            “Nah,” Riley answered, “it’s mine.”

            “Oh, that’s really cool,” Rei couldn’t help but feel a pang of jealousy. She didn’t even have her driver’s license anymore; under the Hayes Act, minor girls couldn’t have licenses. It was just one of the many perks of being emancipated.

            “Yeah, well, you know the grandfather clause in the Hayes Act?”

            Rei nodded. In a true grandfather clause, everyone who had already reached the age of majority would have stayed an adult; Rei would have stayed an adult. But the grandfather clause of the Hayes Act was…well…not quite so comprehensive. Girls who were twenty-four or older at the time of passage got to remain an adult; likewise, any girls who owned property in value of at least fifteen-thousand dollars got to remain an adult.

            “Well, after the Hayes Act got passed and my mom emancipated me, she thought that me owning property might be a layer of protection if they ever tightened the laws or something, you know? So, it was really important to her that I own my own car.”

            Rei chuckled, “it’s still pretty cool.”

            “Yeah,” Riley laughed, “I guess I just…sometimes I feel bad. I’m really lucky to have a mom like mine; I’m really lucky to be emancipated and stuff, and it makes me feel…guilty that other people don’t have that,” she glanced over to Rei. “Does that make sense?”

            It did make sense. Rei would be lying if she said she wasn’t a little jealous of Riley. And, yes, in part she was jealous because Riley was pretty and confident and effortlessly cool; but she was also jealous that Riley didn’t have to worry about getting moved to an extended high school program. Riley didn’t have to worry about getting spanked. Riley didn’t have to worry about any of the things Rei had suddenly found herself worried about. But that wasn’t Riley’s fault.

            Rei shrugged, “I get it, but, like…you shouldn’t feel bad or guilty. Like, you of all people, you know? You are using those privileges to help girls that don’t have them. And don’t get me wrong, like, you shouldn’t feel bad or guilty no matter what, ‘cause it’s not your fault, but I’m saying especially because of what you do to try to help people who don’t have those privileges? It’s really impressive, you know? I kind of look up to you, if I’m being honest.”

            “It’s not that impressive,” Riley waved her hand dismissively, “And certainly nothing to be admired for. But…what you’re saying makes sense. It’s just…” Riley stared at the road for a long moment before continuing, “I don’t think it can be logicked away; I don’t think it’s based in logic. And maybe Rebel is all just my attempt at soothing my guilt over it all. And, then there’s…” Riley sighed. “Well, nevermind that.”

            “No, what? You can tell me.” There had been a shift in the atmosphere of the car. Rei no longer found herself looking at confident, effortlessly cool Riley, founder of Rebel, she was looking at vulnerable, honest Riley, a girl who was as scared as everyone else. The significance of Riley letting her in like this wasn’t lost on Rei. “We’re friends, right?”

            And then there’s the fact that Riley was terrified of facing the consequences of her actions with Rebel. That was what Riley was going to say. That Rebel was a lot more fun when it was just her and a few others committing acts of vandalism, theft, and destruction of property. And, to be honest, sneaking into a Target after hours and slashing gouges through every pack of diapers designed for girls her age felt like it did more direct and immediate good than blowing up a building. Riley knew you couldn’t build a revolution on such small acts of defiance but they should be leaving the big things to groups with more funding and strength.

            Or was that just Riley’s fear talking?

            “It’s nothing, really,” Riley forced a smile.

            Rei felt that momentary vulnerability close. She couldn’t help but feel a bit sad, but she was thankful Riley had opened up to her at all. More importantly, Rei respected the boundary Riley was setting. “Okay,” she said, “but, if you ever change your mind, I’m happy to listen.”

            “You know,” Riley said, “you’re pretty cool.”

            Rei blushed so hot she thought she was going to catch on fire.

[BabySofia]

I think Rei just had her last chance at being a big girl for a day... Curious if her mom finds out. Someone filmed that incident and put it on social media perhaps? The worst part is it seems like Riley might be the most likely to be picked up next, and Rei is now connected in public too... 

Happy to see an update! 🙂

[Chels in Ribbons]

It's my birthday and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth just came out, but I'm still taking time to give you all an update. You're welcome XD

This chapter was really fun to write, and I hope you all love it as much as I do!

Chapter Fifteen

            Ms. Akiyama was having a very different afternoon.

            About the time Rei was first finding Riley on the patio, Ms. Akiyama was pulling her car into a spot directly into front of a colorful, three-story concrete building. The outside walls were a continuous mural of girls of various ages playing. There was a large, wooden privacy fence that extended out from one corner of the building before wrapping around and connecting at the corner diagonal from the first. As she stepped out of her car, Ms. Akiyama could hear the gentle cacophony of girls playing from the other side of the fence. A large neon sign hung on the façade of the building with “Brighter Days Academy” spelled out in a rainbow. A smaller, more professional sign hung below that read “Institute of Behavioral Therapy for Young Adult Girls.”

            Ms. Akiyama walked through the tinted glass front doors into an immaculate and brightly-lit lobby. There were a few plush chairs set around the perimeter of the room that looked as though they had never been sat in, and neat piles of uncrumpled magazines sat on end tables by the chairs. There were wooden doors with spotless silver door handles to Ms. Akiyama’s right and left, and a reception desk directly in front of her.

            The desk was occupied with a young woman who clearly was the most organized receptionist any office had ever seen. Everything on her desk was neatly laid out and organized, not a thing seemed out of place, and everything seemed to have a place. She sat behind the desk, back straight, in a white blouse that left her warm beige arms bare. Her smile crinkled the corners of her brown eyes and showed off pearlescent brilliant teeth. Her nails were short but well-manicured, and her black hair cut in a shoulder-length bob. “Akiko” was printed on a name tag that was pinned to her chest.

            “Hello, welcome to Brighter Days Academy,” she chirped brightly. “How may I help you today?”

            Ms. Akiyama smiled at the young girl, vaguely wondering if she was old enough to be working as a receptionist in the first place. “I had an appointment for a consultation? Under Hana Akiyama?”

            “Fantastic,” Akiko replied as she turned towards her computer and began typing rapidly. “Yes, I see that appointment in the system. Thank you so much for coming in today, Mrs. Akiyama; we’re very excited to meet you and your child’s needs!”

            “Oh, Ms. Akiyama,” Ms. Akiyama corrected.

            “Oh, I’m very sorry,” the girl turned towards the computer, hit a few keys, and turned back, “I’ve corrected that in our system so it won’t happen again. Now, I see that,” she glanced towards the screen, “Dr. Welles will be your consultant today. I think you’ll like her; she’s very brilliant and will definitely be able to help you. I’ve already notified Dr. Welles that you are here, so she should be with you soon. Might I get you something to drink while you wait?”

            “A water would be wonderful, Akiko,” Ms. Akiyama responded with a smile. The young girl was so bright and cheerful, it was contagious. Ms. Akiyama couldn’t help but wish Rei could be more like that.

            “Excellent, I’ll—”

            Before Akiko could finish the sentence, the door on Ms. Akiyama’s right opened, and a fit woman with brown, curly hair wearing a white lab coat over a tight black dress emerged with a clipboard in her hand. “Ms. Akiyama, I presume?”

            “Oh, um, yes,” Ms. Akiyama couldn’t help but be caught off guard by their promptness. “Yes, that’s me.” One thing was certain about this place; it was efficient. “Are you Dr. Welles?”

            “Please,” the woman said, extending one arm to shake Ms. Akiyama’s hand, “call me Emma. If you’d like to follow me, we can get started!” The woman couldn’t match Akiko for bright and cheery (and who could?), but she was doing her hardest.

            “I’ll bring your water in to you,” Akiko said as Ms. Akiyama began following Emma Welles through the door.

            The door led to a short, carpeted hallway with walls adorned with what looked like the art projects of children of various ages and proficiencies. At the end, the hallway turned left, and Ms. Akiyama found herself staring down a much longer hallway with doors along each side.

            “This is really just the administrative wing,” Emma explained, “the real fun stuff happens through the left door. But still, we need offices to get some work done, right?” She said it with the cadence of a joke, but Ms. Akiyama wasn’t sure she got the joke. She chuckled politely anyway.

            “Thank you for coming in today,” Emma continued as she led Ms. Akiyama down the hall, “I’m always excited to help new clients get started on reaching their goals. And I’m sure you’ll find that we are well equipped to help you reach those goals, regardless of what they are.”

            “Well,” Ms. Akiyama replied, “I’m not really sure what my goals are, yet…exactly…”

            “And that’s okay!” Emma exclaimed. “We can help you with that, too. Here we go,” Emma stopped at one of the many doors, swung the door inward, and gestured for Ms. Akiyama to go ahead.

            The office was darker than what Ms. Akiyama had seen of the rest of the building by far. In contrast to the bright white, fluorescent lights of the hallway and lobby, Emma Welles’ office was lit by a few table lamps and the natural light streaming through the tinted windows that spanned the wall across from the door. A large desk made of dark wood dominated the room, flanked by shelves absolutely brimming with books.

            “Please,” Emma said, gesturing to one of the two plush chairs in front of the desk as she made her way around the desk to sit at the high-backed leather chair behind it. Ms. Akiyama noticed there were three more chairs pressed against the wall: all wooden, hard-backed chairs that looked better for your posture than your comfort.

            “So, Ms. Akiyama,” Emma said as she settled in to her chair, “tell me about your daughter.”

            “Well,” Ms. Akiyama started then stopped speaking for a long beat, trying to figure out where to begin.

            “What’s her name?” Emma prompted when Ms. Akiyama was coming up short. She was used to this from new clients; so many of them were just in so over their head that they needed to be guided by the hand.

            “Rei.”

            “What a pretty name,” Emma managed to keep it from sounding like a practiced response, “and how is she?”

            “She’s nineteen.”

            “Ah, what a magical age,” Emma smiled warmly and began typing on her laptop, recording Ms. Akiyama’s responses. “And I assume she is not emancipated?”

            “Correct.”

            “Excellent,” of course, it wasn’t truly a barrier since parents could revoke emancipation at any time for any reason, but Emma always liked to get any potential complications out of the way first. “Does she attend school?”

            “Yes, Greenham Community College.”

            Emma made a disapproving sound in her throat as she typed, “mm, that’s risky, you know. She could be getting exposed to all sorts of…problematic ideas there. I don’t want to make any official recommendations until we’ve talked about your goals, but I definitely recommend removing her from the college setting. Most girls Rei’s age can’t handle that kind of environmentl; they aren’t mature enough to make the right choices, you know?”

            Ms. Akiyama smiled awkwardly, “it’s just…she likes school, I feel bad taking it away.”

            “Oh!” Emma exclaimed, “well, that’s wonderful. We love a little girl who loves school; but there are a lot of healthier options that will be better for her and her development into a happy adult that we can explore, okay?”

            “Oh, well, okay,” Ms. Akiyama said uncertainly.

            “Don’t worry, Ms. Akiyama,” Emma reached across the desk and gave Ms. Akiyama’s hand a reassuring squeeze, “I’m here to help and guide you through this. I know it’s a lot and that it can sometimes seem hard to make these calls. So many of the clients I see come in and tell me that they feel like bad parents, but you know what I tell them?”

            “What?”

            “That just by walking through those doors they’ve shown me that they are a great parent,” Emma smiled reassuringly. “Just by walking through that door, they’ve shown how much they care about doing what is right for their daughter, and isn’t that what makes a great parent?”

            “I…I guess so…” Ms. Akiyama had to admit it did make sense.

            “I know how hard it is these days, Ms. Akiyama. Things are so different than when we were kids; the parenting lessons we learned from our parents just don’t apply anymore! Even the things we learned as parents don’t seem right anymore. I’m a mother myself, Ms. Akiyama; I know how it can feel like you’re lost and don’t know how to be a parent anymore. But you’re still that great parent you always were; you just need new tools to deal with new problems. Don’t worry, we’re here to give you those tools and teach you how to use them.”

            Yes, that was exactly what Ms. Akiyama needed. She nodded, feeling a sense of resolve; she was doing the right thing. “Thank you, Emma,” she said, sincerely, “you don’t know how hard I’ve fought with myself over the decision to come here today.”

            “Well, we’re glad you’re here, and, more importantly, you’re going to be glad you’re here. And most importantly? Rei is going to be glad you came here, I promise. This can often be a rough road, and especially if Rei is used to being in college, she’s likely to throw a temper tantrum or two, okay? But every girl I see come through here leaves happier, healthier, and better adjusted.”

            “It’s a relief to hear you say that.”

            “So,” Emma said, turning back to the matter at hand, “Rei is 19 and attends community college. Is she…willful?”

            Ms. Akiyama chuckled, “a little, yes; she can be very hard-headed and stubborn.”

            “Mmm, I see,” Emma typed for a moment, “and does she get good grades?”

            “Oh, yes! Like I said, she loves school. If anything, she studies too much.”

            “Mmm, yes, we see that a lot in girls like Rei,” though Emma didn’t say quite what she meant by ‘girls like Rei.’ “Does she have a father figure?”

            Ms. Akiyama shook her head, “her father died of cancer some years ago.”

            “I’m sorry to hear that,” Emma gave her a consoling smile. “Any other guardian or caretaker figures in her life?”

            “No.”

            “Any behavioral problems?”

            “No…well, not really, but…”

            “Go ahead, Ms. Akiyama, you can tell me.”

            “I recently found out she was taking a gender studies course—”

            “Goodness!”

            “—and she lied about it too.”

            “Oh my,” Emma shook her head, “that’s troubling. I’m sure I don’t need to tell you what kind of filth those classes fill young girls’ heads with. I simply don’t understand why they still allow them to be taught. I’m glad you came in when you did, Ms. Akiyama; it sounds like Rei is need of major intervention.”

            “Well,” Ms. Akiyama said nervously, “I don’t know about major. I was thinking more of…well, just something to curb her worse tendencies and make sure she stays out of trouble.”

            Emma turned away from the computer and fully towards Ms. Akiyama. “Let me ask you this: what are your goals for Rei? What do you want for her, ultimately?”

            Ms. Akiyama considered the question for a moment but gave the answer that had come to her immediately: “I just want her to be happy and safe.”

            “Girls like Rei have often already been exposed to ideas and radical leftist propaganda that can make it hard for them to be happy. Call it the legacy of so many years of misguided feminism. There are still some fringe elements pushing that feminist narrative, but we, as a culture, have moved past it, thank God. We know now that all the feminist dreck pushed by unhappy women was exactly what was making them unhappy; but some women refuse to accept that, and they push it on to young girls, girls like Rei, If you want Rei to be happy, you have to help her realize that all that stuff her college has put in her head is the reason she’ll never be happy. To put it bluntly, girls like Rei will never be happy until they accept their place in the world.”

            Before Ms. Akiyama could finish processing everything Emma had just said, there was a polite tapping at the door.

            “That must be Akiko with your water,” Emma said before calling out for the girl to come in.

            The door opened to admit Akiko, who Ms. Akiyama now saw was wearing brightly polished Mary Jane shoes, black knee socks, and a pleated black skirt that came to mid-thigh. She was carrying a small tray with a glass full of ice and a bottle of water that was sweating with condensation and walked with a bit of a waddle that explained the rustling Ms. Akiyama could hear from under the girls’ skirt.

            “Ms. Akiyama, your water,” she said as she set two coasters on the table before setting the glass and bottle of water down on top of them. Tucking the tray under her arm, she picked the bottle back up, cracked the seal, and poured it over the ice. “Is there anything else I may get for you, Ms. Akiyama?”

            “No, thank you so much.”

            “You are very welcome,” she beamed at Ms. Akiyama, then turned to Emma. “Dr. Welles, may I get you anything?”

            “No, thank you, Akiko, you may go,” Emma smiled as she watched the girl leave, then turned back to Ms. Akiyama. “Akiko is one of our students; she’s part of a work education program through her extended high school program. She’s a lovely girl.”

            “She seems so…happy,” Ms. Akiyama remarked, “I almost wish Rei were more like her,” she added giving voice to her earlier thoughts.

            “Rei can be,” Emma smiled, “after all, Brighter Days is responsible for molding Akiko into the girl she is today. It takes a lot of work though, Ms. Akiyama. You were saying you weren’t sure if you wanted to do any kind of major behavioral therapy for Rei, but I’ll caution you now that, based off what you’ve told me about Rei, she’s going to need more than just some minor adjustments to make sure she stays out of trouble.”

            Ms. Akiyama considered this for a moment. “What do you suggest?” she asked at last.

            “Well,” Emma leaned back in her chair and steepled her fingers, “as I already said, I think the first and most important step is getting her out of college.”

            Ms. Akiyama’s brow furrowed, “Rei won’t be happy about that.”

            “As I said, Ms. Akiyama, temper tantrums are just part of the process. Think of it this way: if she reacts poorly, that’s a sign that she’s not mature enough to handle herself.”

            “That…makes sense…”

            “And like I said, we love little girls that love school! We certainly don’t want to squash that love of learning and education; we just want to make sure it’s nurtured in a safe and healthy way that will help her grow up into a well-adjusted adult.”

            “Something like an extended high school program?”

            “Extended high school programs are really best for girls who are already on their way to growing up to be happy, healthy adult women. I recommend them most for girls whose parents are choosing to extend their teen years. It can also be a good starting point, a way to test the waters, if you will, for more drastic measures, or to see if they really are necessary in the first place. I’ll caution you, however, that this often isn’t enough for girls like Rei. If you really want to make sure she learns and more important accepts her place and grows up to be a healthy and happy adult, I highly recommend incorporating other behavioral therapies. In fact, in girls like Rei, we often see the problem behaviors become worse if you don’t use other behavioral therapies.”

            “Like what?”

            “Well,” Emma leaned forward in her chair, “potty training regression is certainly our most potent tool.”

            Ms. Akiyama nodded; she had expected this conversation to come up. She tried to picture Rei in a tshirt and diaper like Megan had been and just couldn’t muster the image. “I’m just…not sure about that…”

            “I understand, Ms. Akiyama, it seems drastic. But girls like Rei often need drastic measures.”

            “Rei is a good girl though, really,” Ms. Akiyama said. “She’s a little misguided right now, but she’s a good girl.”

            Emma gave her best reassuring smile, but she couldn’t keep all of the condescension out of it. “With respect, Ms. Akiyama, we here at Brighter Days have a lot of experience in these matters, and we’ve found that potty training regression is the backbone to any behavioral therapy treatment. While it’s true that it was once considered a radical technique, it’s not considered quite mainstream! Really, it is! Over 80% of young girls ages eighteen to twenty-eight wear pull-ups or diapers. Here, see for yourself.” Emma reached into her desk and produced a glossy pamphlet that she slid across the table.

            Ms. Akiyama picked the pamphlet up: the cover featured a girl in her early twenties whose body language spoke of a desperate need to pee and a older looking woman standing behind her with a knowing smile. The pamphlet was titled “Fast Facts About Potty Training Regression Therapy.”

            “To be honest, Emma,” Ms. Akiyama said, setting the pamphlet back on the desk, “I just don’t get it. It’s really only been lately that I’ve even considered any kind of…regressive behavioral therapy for Rei; I never quite understood why other parents thought it was good for their children. I think I’m finally starting to see the benefits of this kind of therapy, but…” Ms. Akiyama sighed and shook her head, “I just don’t understand why it’s necessary to put Rei…back in diapers.”

            Emma nodded understandingly, “Believe it or not, many of our clients have only recently begun to think about this therapy, and many express that same sentiment. You see, the whole reason we see so many behavioral problems in girls in the eighteen to twenty-eight range is that they still see themselves as adults. They have notions of independence and freedom that girls their age simply aren’t ready for. That’s why they are so susceptible to all the feminist drivel we were talking about earlier, right?” She chuckled dismissively. “So, you see, potty training regression is a way of kind of…dissuading them from such ideas. It’s hard to think you’re an adult who is ready to make decisions for themselves when you can’t keep your pants dry; I mean, just imagine that. Of course, that’s just the main benefit, there are numerous other benefits as well. For example, potty training regression strengthens the bond between mother and daughter by creating a feeling of dependency, and being reliant on mom for diaper changes can minimize time spent away from home. Not to mention, it discourages intimate behavior with boys.”

            Ms. Akiyama had picked up the pamphlet again and was scanning over the pages of the pamphlet as Emma spoke. What she was saying made sense, but…could she really do this?

            “I don’t know,” Ms. Akiyama set the pamphlet down again and looked at the woman across from her. “I guess this is a silly question but…is it…permanent?”

            “Oh, no, of course not,” Emma waved her the very notion of the idea away with her hand. “Once a girl is old enough and ready for it, she can always be re-potty trained. Of course,” Emma laughed, “some girls do have more problems with re-potty training than others, but that’s no different than the first time.”

            Ms. Akiyama smiled fondly and laughed lightly, suddenly she was a mom just gossiping about her kinds to another mom. “Rei was such a hassle to potty train; she’d die if anyone knew, but she was accident prone until she was 12 and wet the bed until she was 15.”

            Emma giggled and nodded, “that’s actually excellent news! Girls who were late potty trainers and/or bedwetters tend to be more susceptible to potty training regression. It suggests you will have excellent results!”

            Ms. Akiyama’s smile faded and she sighed. She was silent for a long moment; Emma recognized that thoughtful look from countless clients before Ms. Akiyama and gave the woman time to think. “Let’s say,” she said finally, “that I was actually considering doing this, and, really, that’s all I’m doing right now, how…how does it even work?”

            Emma grinned from ear to ear. “Well, Ms. Akiyama, we have so many tools and resources to help you with this process. And it is a process! While most of our clients see results within the first thirty days of starting therapy, you can’t expect results overnight. With the proper tools and strategies, most girls do see regression fairly quickly, but for some girls that first accident can take weeks. More importantly, the process is unique for each girl. For example, for some girls its enough just to put them in pull-ups and inevitably they give in themselves; that, of course, is not the kind of girl Rei is. For girls like Rei, it’s best to start with inducing accidents, making her doubt her own potty training, and leading her to pull-ups or even diapers from there.”

            “But…inducing accidents? How do you even start to do that?”

            “Well, if you decide to buy a therapy package from us, we will individualize a plan for Rei that will include a mix of methods, mostly likely including some medicines that will help loosen up her bladder, white noise induction machines for bedtime that will encourage bedwetting, a regiment of diuretics, and actionable plans to keep her distracted from using the toilet. If we couple this with enrollment at an extended high school program, we can write doctor’s notes instructing teachers to reinforce the therapy through prohibiting restroom breaks during class and other such strategies.”

            And that brought them to the question Ms. Akiyama had been dreading, “and, uh, how much do these therapy packages cost?”

            Emma smiled warmly, “there’s a misconception that these kinds of individualized behavioral therapy programs are expensive, and that’s because, well, that used to be the case! But the fact is, insurance companies are actually required to cover regressive behavioral therapy under the Hayes Act! You’ll pay a small copay depending on your insurance, and any prescription drugs we prescribe as part of your therapy plan will be covered as per any prescription. Of course, that is not to say there aren’t some financial burdens to this kind of therapy. For example, insurance companies usually do not cover things like new furniture for Rei’s new lifestyle and most other supplies you’ll likely need.”

            “Furniture?”

            “Oh, yes, you know, things like playpens, cribs, changing tables.”

            Ms. Akiyama shook her head, “well, I don’t think Rei will be needing any of that.”

            “Mm, of course not, but it’s good to know what’s covered and what’s not, just in case you decide to change your mind. And as for the other supplies, while insurance doesn’t cover things like bottles, sippy-cups, or pull-ups or diapers, we at Brighter Days partner with many manufacturers to offer starter packs and discounts on regular purchases. We can even sign you up for a delivery service that will keep you and Rei stocked in pull-ups or diapers. Or a mix of both!”

            Ms. Akiyama sighed, “I don’t know, this is a lot, isn’t it?”

            “It is,” Emma leaned forward in her chair and gave Ms. Akiyama a sympathetic look, “and that’s why we are here to help.”

            “I’m just not sure that Rei needs all of this…”

            “This can be a difficult decision for many parents, Ms. Akiyama, but keep in mind that the longer you wait, the more drastic the measures you may have to take.” Emma let that sink if for a minute, then continued, “Ms. Akiyama, may I make a suggestion?”

            A little hope flickered in Ms. Akiyama’s eyes amidst the confusion, “yes, please, I just…don’t even know where to start.”

            “That’s natural, Ms. Akiyama,” Emma said as she reached into her desk and pulled out a thick three-ring binder, “and that’s why so many parents come to us. This may all be very new and overwhelming for you, but we here at Brighter Days have seen it all and been through it so many times with children of various levels of resistance to this kind of therapy; we’re experts! You may not know where to begin, Ms. Akiyama, but we do.” She gave Ms. Akiyama her biggest, most confident smile and opened the binder to exact page she wanted (it was one of her most frequently used selling points, after all, so why not have it marked?).

            The top of the glossy page read “So, you’ve decided you want a daughter who wets the bed.”

            “Bedwetting?” Ms. Akiyama asked.

            “Bedwetting.” Emma replied confidently. “This is an excellent starting point, Ms. Akiyama. It can be perfect for minor attitude adjustments; so, if you’re right and Rei just needs a little push in the right direction, this might be all you need to get her there! It doesn’t impact her life outside of bedtime, still allows her to be independent and feel like ‘big girl,’ but still gives her that little bit of a nudge towards being the obedient daughter you are looking for! And if the worst case scenario happens and Rei needs a little stronger push, this establishes the foundation for further behavioral therapy perfectly.”

            “I suppose…I suppose that does make sense,” Ms. Akiyama replied after a moment of thought. She sighed. “I guess…my biggest reservation is that I’m still not sure how this all works. It’s not like she doesn’t know that this kind of…therapy exists, won’t she immediately suspect what I’m up to when she walks up one morning to find she’s wet the bed?”

            Emma smiled reassuringly, “that’s a concern many parents have. That’s one of the reasons why for so many girls, it’s best to introduce diapers and let the girls come to using them on their own. But as I’ve said, we’ve dealt with girls of varying levels of resistance to therapy; that’s why each plan is individualized for each girl, so that we can figure out ways to keep them from suspecting anything until it’s too late!”

            Ms. Akiyama shifted in her seat a little, slightly uncomfortable with the ‘until it’s too late’ part, but…who was she kidding? The phrasing might be blunt, but it wasn’t incorrect.

            “Thankfully,” Emma continued, seemingly unaware of Ms. Akiyama’s temporary discomfort, “with Rei, we have a perfect, shall we say, alibi for you.”

            “We do?”

            Emma nodded, “After all, didn’t you say Rei wet the bed until she was fifteen? It’s certainly not inconceivable that she return to that little bad habit, don’t you think?” Emma got a mischievous smile, “It’s especially common in girls who are dealing with all the pressure and demands of college. Of course, you’ll have to do your part to sell her on it, but we can include it as part of her nighttime induction to make it easy for you.”

            “You mentioned this…nighttime induction earlier. What is it?”

            “Oh!” Emma reached into another drawer and brought out a small, white plastic appliance, about the size of a digital alarm clock. “The first night you start treatment, you’ll put this in her room, plug it in,” she swivel in her chair a bit to plug it into an outlet behind her desk, “and turn it on,” she pressed a button and a sound like falling rain filled the room, “and it will play this white noise. However, while what you are listening to right now is, I assure you, just harmless static, Rei’s will have subaudible suggestive inductions playing underneath the static to help plant ideas in her head.”

            “Subaudible suggestive inductions? Like…hypnosis?”

            “Well,” Emma replied, smiling with a hint of condescension, “it’s not dissimilar from hypnosis, but hypnosis is, well…it can be effective, sure, but its powers are very limited compared to what most people believe. For example, no amount of hypnosis can truly affect a sleeping person; contrary to popular belief, a person must be conscious and capable of hearing hypnosis in order for it to work. Subaudible suggestive induction is a patented technology perfected by Brighter Days scientists that can do everything hypnosis can, but better and without the patient ever knowing. The downside is that, like the name implies, it’s just a suggestion, so we must reinforce it while the patient is awake in order to cement the idea in place. Here,” Emma pulled a brochure out of the top drawer of her desk and handed it to Ms. Akiyama, “you can read all about it in this, but the bottom line is that it’s completely safe and very effective.”

            Ms. Akiyama took the brochure and glanced over it for a moment before putting it on the desk. “Is all of this…reversible?”

            “Oh, yes! Behavioral therapy targets cognition, not the physical body, so it is very reversible. However, that is not to say the body isn’t affected; once girls stop using those muscles that keep them from having accidents, those muscles tend to start to weaken, hence why re-potty training is necessary. That said, when a girl only experiences potty-training regression in the form of bedwetting, it typically only takes two or three weeks for the bedwetting to clear up once treatment has stopped. Of course,” Emma added, “as I said, how easy a girl was to potty train the first time remains a good predictor of how quickly they’ll recover, so, for Rei, it might be a couple months, but it will definitely clear up eventually.”

            “Does anyone ever…not recover?”

            This was one of Emma’s least favorite questions to answer, but she smiled and did her best, “Well, Ms. Akiyama, the truth is that, yes, some girls never quite recover their potty training. But I assure you, the number of girls who are unable to fully re-potty train is really, truly statistically insignificant, and our behavioral scientists believe these cases to be more related to an emotional or cognitive resistance to re-potty training rather than a physical inability. That is to say, some girls don’t seem to even want to re-potty train!” Emma’s laugh was a little forced.

            “I don’t know…” Ms. Akiyama sighed. She thought back to when Rei was still wetting the bed. It had been a huge source of embarrassment for the girl, especially in the later years when regressive behavioral therapy started becoming mainstream. She had been so happy and relieved when she finally stopped. Could Ms. Akiyama really do that to her again? But, then again, if it could keep her from filling her head with all sorts of impossible ideas that would prevent her from finding happiness in this new world or, God forbid, falling in with the wrong crowd and getting herself in serious trouble…

            And after all, Rei may have been embarrassed by her bedwetting, but she was still able to live a normal life outside of that, just like Emma had said. And that was when most of her peers didn’t wet the bed, technically Rei was in the minority for not wetting the bed now.

            Ms. Akiyama took a deep breath and nodded, “okay, let’s do this.”

            Emma grinned, “I think that’s an excellent decision, Ms. Akiyama. Now, let’s talk details and make an action plan. Because each induction machine must be program specifically for each child, you won’t be able to get started until tomorrow, but I’m confident you’ll be changing Rei’s wet sheets before the weekend is over.”

[BabySofia]

36 minutes ago, Chels in Ribbons said:

Rei’s wet sheets before the weekend is over.”

Yep... we won't be stopping with high school here. That woman is a born saleswoman! Manipulative with a Capital M!

[Chels in Ribbons]

1 minute ago, BabySofia said:

That woman is a born saleswoman! Manipulative with a Capital M!

Emma was a lot of fun to write. She was supposed to be a one-off character, but I think you'll be seeing her again 😉

[BabySofia]

Just now, Chels in Ribbons said:

Emma was a lot of fun to write. She was supposed to be a one-off character, but I think you'll be seeing her again 😉

I have a feeling her mom will have to meet with her when the bedwetting and HS isn't enough... I'm sure before long she'll be ordering that crib and playpen! Wonder if that's before or after her mom finds out just how radicalized her daughter actually is?

Definitely a severe case in Emma's book!

[zzzz50]

This is not really my type of story however the writing is compelling. I like stories that have some basis in reality, when I first started reading I wasn’t sure I would enjoy. Unfortunately with some of the politics in the US I am not sure that we are not moving in the direction of a dystopian society, so the story seems very on point. I am anxious to see where the story goes and possible resistance to the Hayes Act! Chels in ribbons keep up the great writing.

[D503]

Great story!

[Chels in Ribbons]

On 3/4/2024 at 9:23 PM, zzzz50 said:

Unfortunately with some of the politics in the US I am not sure that we are not moving in the direction of a dystopian society, so the story seems very on point

Funnily enough, I was just recently having a conversation with Altered States (whose work this world is based on) about how me being American and the political climate of America has shaped how I've interpreted his world building, and it really speaks to the role of dystopian literature in our lives. I'm glad you seem to be enjoying it, but I certainly don't blame you if it becomes a little too on the nose to enjoy it!

On 3/5/2024 at 1:02 AM, D503 said:

Great story!

Thanks! I appreciate that!

 

So, anyway, I'm working on a small side project: a soundtrack for this story XD just a fun little thing I'm putting together. I won't share it yet because some of the songs won't make sense or might give away the direction I'm going, but if you readers have any songs that you think fit the vibe of this story, I'd love to hear it! Of course, the namesake of this story is already on the list! XD

New updates coming soon! I'm off work next week, so hopefully I'll get a lot of work on this story done!

[Chels in Ribbons]

I'm posting this from my phone, so hopefully it's not weirdly formatted! Enjoy!

 

Chapter Sixteen

 The next day, Ms. Akiyama made another trip to Brighter days to pick up her supplies. That night, Ms. Akiyama made one of Rei’s favorite dinners: a simple spaghetti with meat sauce.

 As she cooked, she thought back to her conversation with Emma the day before.

 “Now,” Emma had said, “a girl like Rei is likely to get very suspicious if you suddenly start trying to get her to take new medications. For less resistant girls, we often suggest parents start giving them a ‘vitamin supplement,’ but even this is likely to set off Rei’s suspicions, don’t you think?”

 Ms. Akiyama had nodded agreement, “how do we get her to take the medicines then?”

 Stepping away from the stove, Ms. Akiyama checked the living room to make sure Rei wasn’t there, then walked up to the base of the stairs; Rei’s bedroom door was closed, meaning Rei was safely and obliviously inside. On her way back to the kitchen, she grabbed the white paper bag Brighter Days had sent her home with out of her purse. Back in the kitchen, she withdrew three glass bottles with droppers out of the bag, crumpled the latter, and tossed it in the trash.

 “Well,” Emma had sounded almost excited, “we actually have a brand new tool in our arsenal just for girls like Rei. We’ve formulated the medicines we use into tasteless, odorless liquids.”

 Ms. Akiyama filled a bowl with noodles and ladled the red sauce over it.

 “You’ll want to add three drops of each medication. The first is a minor muscle relaxer that is formulated to specifically target the bladder, making it just a little easier for her body to overcome her potty training.”

 Ms. Akiyama carefully counted out three drops of the first medication.

 “The second is a minor sleep agent to make sure she sleeps very deeply; this will help the induction take root. And finally, diuranuretine, which is the generic name for Tinklex, which I’m sure you’ll be familiar with from the commercials. This medicine will really seal the deal. Make sure you do not give her more than the prescribed dose, or you might be dealing with wet pants before you’re ready, okay?”

 Ms. Akiyama added the last medication with the care of a rocket scientist working with extremely volatile chemicals. She gave the top of the sauce a light stir to mix in the liquid, then held the bowl up to her nose; sure enough, she couldn’t smell a thing wrong with it.

 “Rei!” She called when everything was done and set on the table (and the bottles of medicine safely stowed in the very back of the spice cabinet), “dinner!”

 The two made polite small talk about their days as Ms. Akiyama watched her daughter eat the laced spaghetti. She felt a pang of guilt in her gut, but said nothing, even as Rei mopped up the last of her sauce with a piece of garlic bread.

 With dinner done, Rei excused herself from the table, citing having more homework that she had to attend to, and Ms. Akiyama didn’t see her again until she came out of her room a few hours later to announce that she was going to bed and wish her mother goodnight.

 An hour later, Ms. Akiyama crept up the stairs, the white noise machine in hand. “Rei?” She whispered as she cracked the door to her daughter’s bedroom, “Are you awake?”

 The only response was the sound of Rei’s long, deep breaths.

 Tiptoeing, Ms. Akiyama made her way across her daughter’s room, set the machine on her nightstand, found the outlet behind it, and plugged the machine in.

 “Don’t worry about hiding it,” Emma had said, “part of the standard induction package is to make the girls think it’s been there all along. After all, many people have trouble sleeping without white noise!”

 Low static filled the room, and Ms. Akiyama got out as quickly as she could.

 

Chapter Seventeen

 Rei’s head jerked up and a bit of panic rose in her chest.

 She was sitting in class and her professor was droning on about something she couldn’t quite force herself to pay attention to. She must have dozed off for a moment.

 In front of her, Jennifer Duffy scribbled notes with the crinkled waistband of her diaper sticking out at least two inches above the top of her skirt. Rei could remember when a girl Jennifer’s age would have been mortified to have their diaper showing, now it seemed to be a fashion statement.

 Speaking of, Rei had to pee.

 Slipping out of her chair, Rei quietly and quickly made her way to the door, trying to distract her fellow students as little as possible.

 “Rei?” Her professor stopped mid-lecture to call her out as she weaved between desks, “where are you going?”

 “Um, sorry, just going to the restroom,” Rei replied, squeezing between two desks that were particularly close together only to find the next two desks two close together to squeeze between, she turned and tried another direction.

 “And were you going to ask for permission?”

 The strap of a backpack tangled Rei’s foot and she almost went down, but caught herself on her professor’s desk, finding herself face to face with the man. She tried not to huff in frustration; most professors in college didn’t make students ask to use the restroom, Rei must have forgotten this one did.

 “May I go to the restroom?” She asked.

 “Absolutely not,” he replied, “just use your diaper and you can change after class.”

 Rei stared at him, slightly aghast. “Sir, I don’t wear diapers.”

 “No?” He looked at her confused, then let his eyes wander downward. He sighed, “well, if you truly must, you can use the restroom,” he reluctantly acquiesced before going back to his lecture.

 With relief, Rei turned to walk away from the desk, only to find her way blocked by Jennifer Duffy.

 “You can use one of mine,” she said, her tone helpful as she held up a bright white plastic rectangle of fluff.

 “Ew,” Rei sneered at the girl, pushed past her, and finally found herself in the hallway outside the classroom. Except…wait…

 “Where am I?” She didn’t recognize this hall, and it seemed to stretch out to the left and right infinitely. Where was the nearest bathroom? She chewed her lip and crossed her legs as she considered her options. Neither seeming more promising than the other, she picked right, and made her way down the hallway.

 The hallway was lined with doors on each side, and Rei glanced through the tiny windows in each door as she passed. Behind each one, a class was in progress. She stopped when she got to one that was clearly not a college class. About a dozen girls around Rei’s age dressed in juvenile clothing sat in a circle while a middle-aged woman in pencil skirt and blouse read to them from a picture book. Since when did her college offer elementary school classes?

 Slightly confused but mostly dismayed by this news, Rei continued down the hall.

 “Rei!” A voice came from behind her.

 Rei turned to find Riley running up to her. “Hey, Rei,” she said breathlessly as she caught up, “wanna go to the mall?”

 Rei chewed her lip and looked down the hall behind Riley, then back towards the way she was going. “Did you see a restroom that way?” She asked Riley.

 “No, why?”

 “I need to pee,” Rei responded matter-of-factly.

 Riley seemed to think for a moment, then grabbed Rei by the wrist and started dragging her down the hall back the way she had come, “I think I know where one is,” she called over her shoulder as she turned right down a hallway Rei would have sworn wasn’t there a moment ago.

 Riley dragged Rei through the unchanging hallways, turning left and right seemingly at random. Rei’s legs pumped hard to keep up with the other girl, and her need to pee became more desperate with each jarring step.

 “Here we go!” Riley stopped so suddenly Rei almost collided with her. “The bathroom!” She gestured to a small alcove where, sure enough, were two doorways: a men’s bathroom and a women’s.

 “Finally,” Rei said, pulling her wrist from Rei’s hand and pushing open the door to the women’s bathroom.

 Except, the room beyond wasn’t a bathroom at all. The long, narrow room had six adult sized changing tables, three on each side of the room. Two were currently in use; girl’s Rei’s age laid atop them while women in white nurse’s uniforms changed their diapers.

 “Hi,” a third nurse greeted them, “which one of you needs your diaper changed?”

 Rei just shook her head and slowly backed out of the room.

 “Rei?” Riley said, watching Rei as she backed up, “where are you going? Didn’t you need to be changed?”

 Cold sweat dripped down her forehead. Rei looked to her right, then made a break for the men’s room. As long as it had a toilet, she didn’t care.

 She burst through the door and into a typical bathroom. Sighing with relief, she dashed to one of the stalls and tugged the door open. Or tried to; it was stuck fast.

 “Rei?” Riley and the nurse had followed her in, and the former was smiling calmly at her, “come on, it’s okay. The nurse will take care of you.”

 “I don’t wear diapers!” Rei shouted, but even as she did she felt her bladder spasm and push a squirt of pee out into her panties. Her hands darted to her crotch and she pressed her legs together.

 “Uh oh,” the nurse said in the same tone of voice you’d use with a toddler in Rei’s predicament, “look like she’s about to have an accident.”

 “Go on, Rei,” Riley said encouragingly, “just let it go, then we can get you changed.”

 Rei shot up in bed, panting and covered in cold sweat. What a fucking dream.

 As her breathing slowed down, she became aware of how painfully full her bladder was. No wonder she had been dreaming about it. Throwing her covers off herself, Rei got out of bed and hobbled with her thighs pressed tightly together to the bathroom down the hall from her bedroom. Relief washed over her as she flopped down on the toilet, her bladder releasing the second she did. Her business done, Rei wiped, stood up, flushed the toilet, pulled her pants back up, and froze. Her panties were just slightly damp. She remembered starting to lose control in her dream and realized that must have been real. She didn’t need a mirror to know how bright red her cheeks got at this discovery.

 Gotta be more careful about what I drink before bed, Rei thought as she made her way back to her bedroom. The last thing she wanted was for her bedwetting to come back.

 Somewhere in her mind, she wondered if she should be more concerned about this; after all, this was the…what? Second? Third time this week?

Or was it?

She had the distinct feeling this wasn’t her first close call lately, but her mind was too foggy with sleepiness to mull it over sufficiently.

 Rei got back in bed, pulled the covers over her, snuggled into them, and let the gentle sound of falling raindrops from her white noise machine lull her back to sleep.

 

[BabySofia]

58 minutes ago, Chels in Ribbons said:

Or was it?

Wonder if a friend calling her on her sudden issues would help. I suspect she's just completed her first steps with no end in sight though. Glad to see a new chapter! 

[fyunch]

I love this story.  The slooooow progression is delicious.

[Chels in Ribbons]

On 3/15/2024 at 8:33 PM, fyunch said:

I love this story.  The slooooow progression is delicious.

I'm glad to hear that! It's a very slow build up to what I know y'all are here for, so I'm very glad to hear it's not too slow.

Speaking of what y'all have been waiting for....

Chapter Eighteen

             Ms. Akiyama awoke early that Friday morning and paced between the kitchen and living room, anxiously waiting to see what morning would bring. Emma had said it would likely take a few days, but she had said it was possible that it might happen the first night, especially given Rei’s history of wetting the bed. Ms. Akiyama almost hoped it would the first night. She was anxious about the whole thing, and the sooner it started, the better. The sooner she knew how Rei would react, the sooner she could stop worrying about it.

And she was definitely anxious about Rei’s reaction.

Emma had reassured Ms. Akiyama that as long as she played her part, Rei would never be the wiser, but Ms. Akiyama couldn’t help but worry. She had known plenty of parents who had used behavioral therapy on their daughters, but, to her knowledge, none had gone to these lengths. Of course, as Emma had said, Rei was a tough case.

Of course, on the other hand, Ms. Akiyama wasn’t sure she was prepared to deal with Rei’s reaction, especially if she reacted poorly.

So, it was with a mix of relief and impatience that Ms. Akiyama greeted Rei that morning as the latter walked down the stairs in the same pajamas she had worn to bed the night before. Competely dry, of course.

Before long, Ms. Akiyama was seeing her daughter out the day for her day at school. Then, it was time for her to get to work.

With the rise of regressive behavioral therapy as a mainstream practice, more and more mothers across the country found themselves suddenly in need of, so to speak, maternity leave. While some of the more liberal supporters of the Hayes Act had argued for stipends to help mothers who needed to leave the workforce to care for their daughters, ultimately the conservatives won that issue, and instead many work places were forced to offer work-at-home options for women so they could do it all. Strictly speaking, Ms. Akiyama didn’t the extra time at home to care for her daughter—at least, she hadn’t at the time, and she still hoped things wouldn’t go that far—but she had still taken advantage of these work-from-home options.

So, Ms. Akiyama, having seen Rei off, retired to the her office, which doubled as a guest room, and logged onto her computer for her day of work.

It was a slow day at work, and when a couple hours into her day the name “Heather Eckridge” showed up across the screen of her cell phone, she was happy for the distraction.

“Hi, Heather,” Ms. Akiyama answered.

“Hi, hun, not catching you at a bad time, am I?”

“Not all,” Ms. Akiyama lightly laughed, “it’s a slow day at work, I’ve got plenty of time to talk.”

“Oh, hun, same here! And I was just sitting and started thinking about you and thought I’d call and ask if you had made an appointment at Brighter Days yet?”

“Oh, actually…” Ms. Akiyama proceeded to fill Heather in on the happenings of the last few days. “If I’m being honest,” she concluded, “I’m still a bit nervous about the whole thing. I mean, they said Rei won’t have a clue, but I’m just not sure…she’s so smart and perceptive, I can’t imagine a little hypnosis fooling her.”

Heather made a sympathetic sound, “I thought the same thing about Megan, but I don’t think things would have gone as smoothly as they did without it. And I’ve talked to other moms who used it, and they all swear by it!”

“Well, I guess we will see, won’t we?”

“For what it’s worth, darling, I think you’re doing the right thing by Rei. She always was too smart for her own good, and it sounds like nothing has changed on that front. Of course, Megan was always the same, that’s why I made sure I nipped it in the bud with her early.”

Ms. Akiyama sighed, “Maybe I should have done this sooner.”

“Don’t be hard on yourself; I don’t think it ever would have been easy with Rei. She’s always been so…headstrong.”

Ms. Akiyama laughed, “that she has,” then sighed, “how was it with Megan? Did you have trouble with her?”

“Honestly? Very little. She was definitely resistant at first, angry even, but with a little help and strategic planning from Brighter Days, she was practically back in diapers before I knew it.”

“That’s…wow, I’m a little surprised.”

Ms. Akiyama could practically hear Heather shrug through the phone, “well, that was when I knew for certain there really was something to this and that I had done the right thing. And so are you.”

“I certainly hope so,” Ms. Akiyama sighed, “I just feel so powerless to protect her when she’s off at that college learning who knows what and hanging out with God knows what kind of bad influences.”

“Darling, I do not understand why you let her go there, especially if you are so worried about it!”

“Rei loves her education; I’d just hate to take it away from her. I mean, I know that sounds absurd, I’ll make her a bedwetter but I won’t take her out of college, but I just…I’ve always been so proud of how much Rei loved school, and it would break my heart for her to lose that love.”

“Then send her to an extended high school program! Megan loves hers!”

Ms. Akiyama paused, briefly caught off guard, “Megan goes to…a high school program?”

“Absolutely! You sound surprised.”

“Well, no offense, I just figured Megan more for an elementary program, maybe even a preschool.”

Heather laughed, “Megan lives like a toddler in a lot of ways, but she’s still smart as a whip. Unfortunately,” Heather’s voice took on a serious tone, “she does get picked on a little bit. She’s far from the only girl in her high school who wears diapers, but she’s definitely not as mature as most of her peers. Still, it’s what makes her happy.”

“Huh,” Ms. Akiyama was genuinely at a loss for words. “Well, as long as she’s happy.”

“You know, Megan could use a friend at high school, and Rei might be more open to the idea of a high school program if she already had a friend there…”

Ms. Akiyama rolled that around in her head for a moment, “you might have a point there,” she said at last.

“And Megan was asking about Rei the other day…”

“Mm, maybe we should schedule a play date for the girls for this weekend,” Ms. Akiyama suggested with a smile.

“This weekend doesn’t work for us,” Heather replied, “but, besides, call it a hunch, but I think Rei will be more open to the suggestion once she’s started wetting the bed. So, maybe sometime next week after school?”

“Perfect.”

With that, the two cemented their plans for the next week, exchanged some pleasantries, then mutually agreed they should both probably go back to focusing on work, regardless of how slow it was.

Ms. Akiyama went through the rest of her day feeling pretty good about her plans for Rei. She was still nervous, but maybe it wouldn’t be so bad, maybe Rei would take to it just as naturally as Megan had. And maybe, if she could rekindle that friendship, Rei would be more willing to go to an extended high school program. Not to mention, with Megan as her friend again, Ms. Akiyama could stop worrying so much about the company Rei was keeping.

That evening, Ms. Akiyama dutifully mixed Rei’s new medication in with the mound of mashed potatoes on the girl’s plate, then called her down to dinner like she did every night. Rei ate the potatoes without comment or hint of suspicion, yet come Saturday morning, she was still dry.

Undaunted, Ms. Akiyama went about her Saturday. A little bit of light housework in the morning, followed by some errands (she invited Rei along, but her daughter cited being under a pile of homework to stay home), and then back home. She spent the first half of her afternoon holed up in her office, reading parenting blogs and articles about other moms’ experiences with behavioral therapy, and the second half splayed out on the couch, reading the latest Stephanie Queen novel.

As dinnertime approached, Ms. Akiyama found herself knocking on her daughter’s door. Without waiting for a reply, she cracked the door open and stuck her head in. Rei was at her desk, a word document open on the screen of her computer and two books laying open on her desk.

“You’ve been working all day?” Ms. Akiyama asked.

Rei swiveled around in her chair to look back at her mother, “yeah, I’ve got an essay due this week.”

“I worry about you working too hard,” Ms. Akiyama opened the door the rest of the way and stepped into the doorframe, “you’re going to stress yourself out. That’s not good for girls your age, it’s not good for your brain development,” that, at least, was what she had this afternoon.

Rei frowned, “Mom, that’s not true—”

Ms. Akiyama raised her hand to silence her daughter, “I don’t want to hear it, Rei, I know what’s best for you.”

Rei felt her cheeks heat up at the memory of where it had led last time she had argued against that. She felt her anger rise a bit, too, but not enough to overcome the shame. She just nodded and held her mouth closed.

“So,” Ms. Akiyama continued once she was sure Rei wasn’t going to protest, “I think you should take a break, okay?”

“But, Mom, I need to finish this essay…”

“When is it due?”

“Wednesday.”

“And how far along are you?”

“I have,” Rei looked back at her screen, “700 words written.”

“And how many do you need?”

“A thousand.”

“Oh, well, then you’re almost done! You can easily finish that essay tomorrow, can’t you?”

“I…I guess…I just would really like to get it done tonight.”

Ms. Akiyama sighed, she really was proud of how studious her daughter was, she just regretted Rei no longer lived in a world where that would lead to happiness for her. And, besides, most parents seemed to agree their daughters were much healthier and happier when they weren’t so stressed.

Of course, Ms. Akiyama had an ulterior motive here. So much of what she had read earlier that day had stressed the importance of mother/daughter bonding during regressive behavioral therapy. After all, part of the reason this kind of therapy was so effective is that is taught daughters to be more reliant on their mothers and give up some control to them, that could only happen with sufficient bonding. So, Ms. Akiyama was determined to try to engage in more bonding time with her daughter. Thankfully, this could also serve the purpose of keeping Rei from unhealthy habits like studying all day.

“I’ll tell you what,” Ms. Akiyama said, deciding negotiation might be the best way to go here, “why don’t I order us a pizza, and you can keep on working until the pizza gets here, okay? But, once it gets here, you put the essay away for the night, and come downstairs and watch a movie with me, okay? I’ll even let you pick the movie.”

Rei gave her mother a genuine if slight smile, seemed to consider the offer for a moment, then finally spoke, “Can we order from Lucia’s?”

“Of course.”

“Focaccia bread crust?”

“Absolutely.”

“Extra pepperoni and jalapenos?”

“If that’s what you want.”

“…gelato?”

Ms. Akiyama laughed, “of course, can’t order from Lucia’s without getting some gelato.”

“And I pick the movie?”

“Yes, of course, any other demands?”

“Soda.”

Ms. Akiyama couldn’t help but chuckle at that one: she had stopped keeping soda in the house when Rei was around ten and the doctor’s suggested she stop giving Rei soda to help her with her wetting problems and had never picked the habit back up after Rei’s problems had cleared up, keeping soda an occasional treat at the Akiyama house.

“You got it,” Ms. Akiyama nodded, “we got a deal?”

Rei nodded, “yeah, okay, deal.”

Roughly fourty-five minutes later, the pair found themselves huddled under a blanket on the couch, eating pizza, and watching a new horror movie Rei had been looking forward to. Rei chugged her first glass of soda, laced, of course, with her new medications, and drank three more glasses after that. Ms. Akiyama couldn’t help but watch and wonder if Rei was sealing her fate.

When the movie was over, Ms. Akiyama was shocked when she suggested the two play a board game and Rei agreed almost immediately. They hadn’t played board games together since…well…truthfully, not since Rei’s father had passed. Really, Ms. Akiyama thought as they set up the board to play Life, that had been when the two had first started to truly drift apart. Ms. Akiyama missed how close they used to be, maybe more than she had realized before that night. But all that was about to change; she was certain of it.

            After two games of Life and one game of Clue, a drowsy looking Rei yawned, bid her mother goodnight, and retired to her room.

            Ms. Akiyama smiled and watched her daughter sleepily drag herself up the stairs.

            She had a feeling the next morning was going to be a new beginning for the mother and daughter.

            Rei, on the other hand, cluelessly went through her bedtime routine. She brushed her teeth, washed and moisturized her face, used the toilet, changed into pajamas, climbed into bed, turned her white noise machine on, and snuggled into her blankets, just like she did every night.

Chapter Nineteen.

            It was raining. Big fat raindrops plopped against the windows of Greenham Community College’s cafeteria and ran down the glass in streaks. The glass was cold against Rei’s forehead as she stared out across the empty patio.

            “Rei, are you paying attention?”

            Rei’s head snapped forward, “yes, sorry,” she looked up at Professor Rosenstine, her math professor, and nodded.

            “Good, then you won’t mind coming up to the board to solve this problem?”

            “Oh, o-of course not,” on shaky knees, Rei slide out of the booth and made her way to the freestanding whiteboard set up in the middle of the lunch tables. Around her, everyone suddenly got silent and put their lunches down, turning their attention instead to her as she approached the board.

            “Quickly, now, Rei,” Professor Rosenstine said impatiently. Rei was weaving her way through the desks, but the board didn’t seem to be getting any closer, “you’re dawdling, Rei!”

            “Sorry, Professor, I—” before she could continue her sentence, her foot tangled with a foot thrust into the aisle at the last minute and she went tumbling head over heels to the floor. Laughter erupted from around her.

            Professor Rosenstine looked down at her as she lay sprawled on her back, “are you quite done causing a spectacle, Rei?”

            “Yes, sorry,” Rei scrambled to her feet, brushing her clothes off quickly before taking the dry erase marker from the professor and turning her attention to the math problem on the board.

            Numbers and letters swam in her vision. Focus as she might, they wouldn’t stop moving and shifting.

            “We’re waiting, Rei.”

            Rei turned around to look to her peers for assistance, but found herself staring into a mirror, a line of closed bathroom stall doors behind her. Why was she here again? A girl came out of one of the stalls and gave Rei a weird look as she approached the sink next to her to wash her hands.

            “Are you in the wrong room?” The girl asked, then added, “the changing rooms are next door if you need to be changed.”

            What was she talking about? Changed?

            Rei froze as a hunch formed. She looked down and, sure enough, the plastic waistband of a diaper stuck out from her jeans, which bulged comically around her crotch and butt.

            “No,” she protested, “I don’t…this is a mistake…”

            “There you are!” A woman’s voice boomed and echoed off the tiled wall and floor as she burst into through the restroom door. Rei didn’t recognize the woman, but she knew who she was; she was her daycare teacher. The woman grabbed Rei by the wrist and effortlessly dragged her back through the door, “what are you doing, running off like that?”

            Rei protested and tried to wriggle free from the woman’s grasp, but nothing she said or did seemed to phase her. Up ahead, Rei saw Riley talking to another girl she didn’t know. She called out Riley’s name, but when Riley looked at her, there was no recognition there. Riley merely watched, vaguely disgusted, as Rei was dragged past her.

            “Ugh,” Riley said to the other girl once Rei had passed them, “kill me if I ever become like that.”

            Rei watched the two girls recede down the hall.

            “Here we are,” the woman who had been dragging her cooed as she finally stopped in front of a door and pushed it open, “back to class with you.” She pushed Rei through the door, and Rei looked around at the room around her. It looked like a daycare, but everything was sized up. There were about a dozen girls her age, all dressed like toddlers, sitting in four rows in the center of the room and looking forward at a kindly looking woman in front of a chalkboard.

            “Ah, Rei, welcome back,” she said as she looked up at Rei.

            “I…I think I’m in the wrong room,” Rei said weakly.

            “Nonsense! We transferred you here after you were unable to solve that tricky math problem! This classroom is much better suited to girls your age, anyway! Speaking of, why don’t you come to the board to do the math problem?”

            Rei swallowed hard, but her feet started moving on their own. She couldn’t help but notice that she waddled slightly, an unfamiliar but somehow also familiar bulk between her legs. As she approached, she took the chalk the teacher offered, and turned to the board.

            This time, the numbers came easily into focus: 3+5=

            Oh, Rei thought, this was easy. Smiling confidently, she grasped the chalk in her hand, and drew a great, big, curvy 8. She looked over to the teacher for approval.

            “Mmm,” the teacher said, her mouth a tight-lipped frown, “that’s not quite right, Rei.”

            “What? But…” Rei turned back to the chalkboard: 3+4=8. “Wait, that’s…”

            “It’s okay, you’ll get it next time! Why don’t you go ahead and sit down.”

            In a daze, Rei plopped down on the floor with the rest of the girls. What was happening?

            As she ruminated on that question, she felt a sudden and urgent pressure in her bladder. Instinctively, she clamped her muscles down, but it was taking all her effort to keep the floodgates closed.

            But…why was she holding it? She was wearing a diaper, after all, so shouldn’t she just…

            The thought wasn’t even done before Rei felt the dam burst and a torrent flooded out of her. The feeling of warmth and wetness spread out through her crotch and across her butt, continuing down her legs. She looked down in panic as the dark spot in the crotch of her jeans spread out. But…hadn’t she just…?

            “Professor!” A voice rang out to her left, “Rei just peed her pants!”

            Rei’s whipped towards the voice and saw Jennifer Duffy sitting next to her. Rei looked around herself. She was in Professor Lewis’ class and everyone was looking at her. She looked to her right and found Riley chuckling and looking at her like she was a freak. At the head of the classroom, Professor Lewis just looked at Rei with disappointment on her face.

            And then Rei was back in her bedroom, panting and covered in cold sweat.

            It had all been a dream. Rei sighed with relief. She tried grasping at the details of the dream, trying to remember what had reacting like this, but found it already dissipating into the night.

            But as Rei calmed down, she began to notice something was not quite right.

            Rei didn’t really need to throw back her covers to be certain of what had happened, but she did so anyway, refusing to believe until she saw for herself.

            Rei Akiyama had wet the bed.

 

[fyunch]

Ah, progress!  I love the way the dream sequences show the suggestion settling in.

[AbyMatt]

I wonder if the mom will act angry or sympathetic when she finds out Rei wet the bed.

[BabySofia]

Glad to see an update to this tale! 

[Mary Moon]

On 3/28/2024 at 1:54 PM, Chels in Ribbons said:

I'm glad to hear that! It's a very slow build up to what I know y'all are here for, so I'm very glad to hear it's not too slow.

Speaking of what y'all have been waiting for....

Chapter Eighteen

 

             Ms. Akiyama awoke early that Friday morning and paced between the kitchen and living room, anxiously waiting to see what morning would bring. Emma had said it would likely take a few days, but she had said it was possible that it might happen the first night, especially given Rei’s history of wetting the bed. Ms. Akiyama almost hoped it would the first night. She was anxious about the whole thing, and the sooner it started, the better. The sooner she knew how Rei would react, the sooner she could stop worrying about it.

 

And she was definitely anxious about Rei’s reaction.

 

Emma had reassured Ms. Akiyama that as long as she played her part, Rei would never be the wiser, but Ms. Akiyama couldn’t help but worry. She had known plenty of parents who had used behavioral therapy on their daughters, but, to her knowledge, none had gone to these lengths. Of course, as Emma had said, Rei was a tough case.

 

Of course, on the other hand, Ms. Akiyama wasn’t sure she was prepared to deal with Rei’s reaction, especially if she reacted poorly.

 

So, it was with a mix of relief and impatience that Ms. Akiyama greeted Rei that morning as the latter walked down the stairs in the same pajamas she had worn to bed the night before. Competely dry, of course.

 

Before long, Ms. Akiyama was seeing her daughter out the day for her day at school. Then, it was time for her to get to work.

 

With the rise of regressive behavioral therapy as a mainstream practice, more and more mothers across the country found themselves suddenly in need of, so to speak, maternity leave. While some of the more liberal supporters of the Hayes Act had argued for stipends to help mothers who needed to leave the workforce to care for their daughters, ultimately the conservatives won that issue, and instead many work places were forced to offer work-at-home options for women so they could do it all. Strictly speaking, Ms. Akiyama didn’t the extra time at home to care for her daughter—at least, she hadn’t at the time, and she still hoped things wouldn’t go that far—but she had still taken advantage of these work-from-home options.

 

So, Ms. Akiyama, having seen Rei off, retired to the her office, which doubled as a guest room, and logged onto her computer for her day of work.

 

It was a slow day at work, and when a couple hours into her day the name “Heather Eckridge” showed up across the screen of her cell phone, she was happy for the distraction.

 

“Hi, Heather,” Ms. Akiyama answered.

 

“Hi, hun, not catching you at a bad time, am I?”

 

“Not all,” Ms. Akiyama lightly laughed, “it’s a slow day at work, I’ve got plenty of time to talk.”

 

“Oh, hun, same here! And I was just sitting and started thinking about you and thought I’d call and ask if you had made an appointment at Brighter Days yet?”

 

“Oh, actually…” Ms. Akiyama proceeded to fill Heather in on the happenings of the last few days. “If I’m being honest,” she concluded, “I’m still a bit nervous about the whole thing. I mean, they said Rei won’t have a clue, but I’m just not sure…she’s so smart and perceptive, I can’t imagine a little hypnosis fooling her.”

 

Heather made a sympathetic sound, “I thought the same thing about Megan, but I don’t think things would have gone as smoothly as they did without it. And I’ve talked to other moms who used it, and they all swear by it!”

 

“Well, I guess we will see, won’t we?”

 

“For what it’s worth, darling, I think you’re doing the right thing by Rei. She always was too smart for her own good, and it sounds like nothing has changed on that front. Of course, Megan was always the same, that’s why I made sure I nipped it in the bud with her early.”

 

Ms. Akiyama sighed, “Maybe I should have done this sooner.”

 

“Don’t be hard on yourself; I don’t think it ever would have been easy with Rei. She’s always been so…headstrong.”

 

Ms. Akiyama laughed, “that she has,” then sighed, “how was it with Megan? Did you have trouble with her?”

 

“Honestly? Very little. She was definitely resistant at first, angry even, but with a little help and strategic planning from Brighter Days, she was practically back in diapers before I knew it.”

 

“That’s…wow, I’m a little surprised.”

 

Ms. Akiyama could practically hear Heather shrug through the phone, “well, that was when I knew for certain there really was something to this and that I had done the right thing. And so are you.”

 

“I certainly hope so,” Ms. Akiyama sighed, “I just feel so powerless to protect her when she’s off at that college learning who knows what and hanging out with God knows what kind of bad influences.”

 

“Darling, I do not understand why you let her go there, especially if you are so worried about it!”

 

“Rei loves her education; I’d just hate to take it away from her. I mean, I know that sounds absurd, I’ll make her a bedwetter but I won’t take her out of college, but I just…I’ve always been so proud of how much Rei loved school, and it would break my heart for her to lose that love.”

 

“Then send her to an extended high school program! Megan loves hers!”

 

Ms. Akiyama paused, briefly caught off guard, “Megan goes to…a high school program?”

 

“Absolutely! You sound surprised.”

 

“Well, no offense, I just figured Megan more for an elementary program, maybe even a preschool.”

 

Heather laughed, “Megan lives like a toddler in a lot of ways, but she’s still smart as a whip. Unfortunately,” Heather’s voice took on a serious tone, “she does get picked on a little bit. She’s far from the only girl in her high school who wears diapers, but she’s definitely not as mature as most of her peers. Still, it’s what makes her happy.”

 

“Huh,” Ms. Akiyama was genuinely at a loss for words. “Well, as long as she’s happy.”

 

“You know, Megan could use a friend at high school, and Rei might be more open to the idea of a high school program if she already had a friend there…”

 

Ms. Akiyama rolled that around in her head for a moment, “you might have a point there,” she said at last.

 

“And Megan was asking about Rei the other day…”

 

“Mm, maybe we should schedule a play date for the girls for this weekend,” Ms. Akiyama suggested with a smile.

 

“This weekend doesn’t work for us,” Heather replied, “but, besides, call it a hunch, but I think Rei will be more open to the suggestion once she’s started wetting the bed. So, maybe sometime next week after school?”

 

“Perfect.”

 

With that, the two cemented their plans for the next week, exchanged some pleasantries, then mutually agreed they should both probably go back to focusing on work, regardless of how slow it was.

 

Ms. Akiyama went through the rest of her day feeling pretty good about her plans for Rei. She was still nervous, but maybe it wouldn’t be so bad, maybe Rei would take to it just as naturally as Megan had. And maybe, if she could rekindle that friendship, Rei would be more willing to go to an extended high school program. Not to mention, with Megan as her friend again, Ms. Akiyama could stop worrying so much about the company Rei was keeping.

 

That evening, Ms. Akiyama dutifully mixed Rei’s new medication in with the mound of mashed potatoes on the girl’s plate, then called her down to dinner like she did every night. Rei ate the potatoes without comment or hint of suspicion, yet come Saturday morning, she was still dry.

 

Undaunted, Ms. Akiyama went about her Saturday. A little bit of light housework in the morning, followed by some errands (she invited Rei along, but her daughter cited being under a pile of homework to stay home), and then back home. She spent the first half of her afternoon holed up in her office, reading parenting blogs and articles about other moms’ experiences with behavioral therapy, and the second half splayed out on the couch, reading the latest Stephanie Queen novel.

 

As dinnertime approached, Ms. Akiyama found herself knocking on her daughter’s door. Without waiting for a reply, she cracked the door open and stuck her head in. Rei was at her desk, a word document open on the screen of her computer and two books laying open on her desk.

 

“You’ve been working all day?” Ms. Akiyama asked.

 

Rei swiveled around in her chair to look back at her mother, “yeah, I’ve got an essay due this week.”

 

“I worry about you working too hard,” Ms. Akiyama opened the door the rest of the way and stepped into the doorframe, “you’re going to stress yourself out. That’s not good for girls your age, it’s not good for your brain development,” that, at least, was what she had this afternoon.

 

Rei frowned, “Mom, that’s not true—”

 

Ms. Akiyama raised her hand to silence her daughter, “I don’t want to hear it, Rei, I know what’s best for you.”

 

Rei felt her cheeks heat up at the memory of where it had led last time she had argued against that. She felt her anger rise a bit, too, but not enough to overcome the shame. She just nodded and held her mouth closed.

 

“So,” Ms. Akiyama continued once she was sure Rei wasn’t going to protest, “I think you should take a break, okay?”

 

“But, Mom, I need to finish this essay…”

 

“When is it due?”

 

“Wednesday.”

 

“And how far along are you?”

 

“I have,” Rei looked back at her screen, “700 words written.”

 

“And how many do you need?”

 

“A thousand.”

 

“Oh, well, then you’re almost done! You can easily finish that essay tomorrow, can’t you?”

 

“I…I guess…I just would really like to get it done tonight.”

 

Ms. Akiyama sighed, she really was proud of how studious her daughter was, she just regretted Rei no longer lived in a world where that would lead to happiness for her. And, besides, most parents seemed to agree their daughters were much healthier and happier when they weren’t so stressed.

 

Of course, Ms. Akiyama had an ulterior motive here. So much of what she had read earlier that day had stressed the importance of mother/daughter bonding during regressive behavioral therapy. After all, part of the reason this kind of therapy was so effective is that is taught daughters to be more reliant on their mothers and give up some control to them, that could only happen with sufficient bonding. So, Ms. Akiyama was determined to try to engage in more bonding time with her daughter. Thankfully, this could also serve the purpose of keeping Rei from unhealthy habits like studying all day.

 

“I’ll tell you what,” Ms. Akiyama said, deciding negotiation might be the best way to go here, “why don’t I order us a pizza, and you can keep on working until the pizza gets here, okay? But, once it gets here, you put the essay away for the night, and come downstairs and watch a movie with me, okay? I’ll even let you pick the movie.”

 

Rei gave her mother a genuine if slight smile, seemed to consider the offer for a moment, then finally spoke, “Can we order from Lucia’s?”

 

“Of course.”

 

“Focaccia bread crust?”

 

“Absolutely.”

 

“Extra pepperoni and jalapenos?”

 

“If that’s what you want.”

 

“…gelato?”

 

Ms. Akiyama laughed, “of course, can’t order from Lucia’s without getting some gelato.”

 

“And I pick the movie?”

 

“Yes, of course, any other demands?”

 

“Soda.”

 

Ms. Akiyama couldn’t help but chuckle at that one: she had stopped keeping soda in the house when Rei was around ten and the doctor’s suggested she stop giving Rei soda to help her with her wetting problems and had never picked the habit back up after Rei’s problems had cleared up, keeping soda an occasional treat at the Akiyama house.

 

“You got it,” Ms. Akiyama nodded, “we got a deal?”

 

Rei nodded, “yeah, okay, deal.”

 

Roughly fourty-five minutes later, the pair found themselves huddled under a blanket on the couch, eating pizza, and watching a new horror movie Rei had been looking forward to. Rei chugged her first glass of soda, laced, of course, with her new medications, and drank three more glasses after that. Ms. Akiyama couldn’t help but watch and wonder if Rei was sealing her fate.

 

When the movie was over, Ms. Akiyama was shocked when she suggested the two play a board game and Rei agreed almost immediately. They hadn’t played board games together since…well…truthfully, not since Rei’s father had passed. Really, Ms. Akiyama thought as they set up the board to play Life, that had been when the two had first started to truly drift apart. Ms. Akiyama missed how close they used to be, maybe more than she had realized before that night. But all that was about to change; she was certain of it.

 

            After two games of Life and one game of Clue, a drowsy looking Rei yawned, bid her mother goodnight, and retired to her room.

 

            Ms. Akiyama smiled and watched her daughter sleepily drag herself up the stairs.

 

            She had a feeling the next morning was going to be a new beginning for the mother and daughter.

 

            Rei, on the other hand, cluelessly went through her bedtime routine. She brushed her teeth, washed and moisturized her face, used the toilet, changed into pajamas, climbed into bed, turned her white noise machine on, and snuggled into her blankets, just like she did every night.

 

Chapter Nineteen.

 

            It was raining. Big fat raindrops plopped against the windows of Greenham Community College’s cafeteria and ran down the glass in streaks. The glass was cold against Rei’s forehead as she stared out across the empty patio.

 

            “Rei, are you paying attention?”

 

            Rei’s head snapped forward, “yes, sorry,” she looked up at Professor Rosenstine, her math professor, and nodded.

 

            “Good, then you won’t mind coming up to the board to solve this problem?”

 

            “Oh, o-of course not,” on shaky knees, Rei slide out of the booth and made her way to the freestanding whiteboard set up in the middle of the lunch tables. Around her, everyone suddenly got silent and put their lunches down, turning their attention instead to her as she approached the board.

 

            “Quickly, now, Rei,” Professor Rosenstine said impatiently. Rei was weaving her way through the desks, but the board didn’t seem to be getting any closer, “you’re dawdling, Rei!”

 

            “Sorry, Professor, I—” before she could continue her sentence, her foot tangled with a foot thrust into the aisle at the last minute and she went tumbling head over heels to the floor. Laughter erupted from around her.

 

            Professor Rosenstine looked down at her as she lay sprawled on her back, “are you quite done causing a spectacle, Rei?”

 

            “Yes, sorry,” Rei scrambled to her feet, brushing her clothes off quickly before taking the dry erase marker from the professor and turning her attention to the math problem on the board.

 

            Numbers and letters swam in her vision. Focus as she might, they wouldn’t stop moving and shifting.

 

            “We’re waiting, Rei.”

 

            Rei turned around to look to her peers for assistance, but found herself staring into a mirror, a line of closed bathroom stall doors behind her. Why was she here again? A girl came out of one of the stalls and gave Rei a weird look as she approached the sink next to her to wash her hands.

 

            “Are you in the wrong room?” The girl asked, then added, “the changing rooms are next door if you need to be changed.”

 

            What was she talking about? Changed?

 

            Rei froze as a hunch formed. She looked down and, sure enough, the plastic waistband of a diaper stuck out from her jeans, which bulged comically around her crotch and butt.

 

            “No,” she protested, “I don’t…this is a mistake…”

 

            “There you are!” A woman’s voice boomed and echoed off the tiled wall and floor as she burst into through the restroom door. Rei didn’t recognize the woman, but she knew who she was; she was her daycare teacher. The woman grabbed Rei by the wrist and effortlessly dragged her back through the door, “what are you doing, running off like that?”

 

            Rei protested and tried to wriggle free from the woman’s grasp, but nothing she said or did seemed to phase her. Up ahead, Rei saw Riley talking to another girl she didn’t know. She called out Riley’s name, but when Riley looked at her, there was no recognition there. Riley merely watched, vaguely disgusted, as Rei was dragged past her.

 

            “Ugh,” Riley said to the other girl once Rei had passed them, “kill me if I ever become like that.”

 

            Rei watched the two girls recede down the hall.

 

            “Here we are,” the woman who had been dragging her cooed as she finally stopped in front of a door and pushed it open, “back to class with you.” She pushed Rei through the door, and Rei looked around at the room around her. It looked like a daycare, but everything was sized up. There were about a dozen girls her age, all dressed like toddlers, sitting in four rows in the center of the room and looking forward at a kindly looking woman in front of a chalkboard.

 

            “Ah, Rei, welcome back,” she said as she looked up at Rei.

 

            “I…I think I’m in the wrong room,” Rei said weakly.

 

            “Nonsense! We transferred you here after you were unable to solve that tricky math problem! This classroom is much better suited to girls your age, anyway! Speaking of, why don’t you come to the board to do the math problem?”

 

            Rei swallowed hard, but her feet started moving on their own. She couldn’t help but notice that she waddled slightly, an unfamiliar but somehow also familiar bulk between her legs. As she approached, she took the chalk the teacher offered, and turned to the board.

 

            This time, the numbers came easily into focus: 3+5=

 

            Oh, Rei thought, this was easy. Smiling confidently, she grasped the chalk in her hand, and drew a great, big, curvy 8. She looked over to the teacher for approval.

 

            “Mmm,” the teacher said, her mouth a tight-lipped frown, “that’s not quite right, Rei.”

 

            “What? But…” Rei turned back to the chalkboard: 3+4=8. “Wait, that’s…”

 

            “It’s okay, you’ll get it next time! Why don’t you go ahead and sit down.”

 

            In a daze, Rei plopped down on the floor with the rest of the girls. What was happening?

 

            As she ruminated on that question, she felt a sudden and urgent pressure in her bladder. Instinctively, she clamped her muscles down, but it was taking all her effort to keep the floodgates closed.

 

            But…why was she holding it? She was wearing a diaper, after all, so shouldn’t she just…

 

            The thought wasn’t even done before Rei felt the dam burst and a torrent flooded out of her. The feeling of warmth and wetness spread out through her crotch and across her butt, continuing down her legs. She looked down in panic as the dark spot in the crotch of her jeans spread out. But…hadn’t she just…?

 

            “Professor!” A voice rang out to her left, “Rei just peed her pants!”

 

            Rei’s whipped towards the voice and saw Jennifer Duffy sitting next to her. Rei looked around herself. She was in Professor Lewis’ class and everyone was looking at her. She looked to her right and found Riley chuckling and looking at her like she was a freak. At the head of the classroom, Professor Lewis just looked at Rei with disappointment on her face.

 

            And then Rei was back in her bedroom, panting and covered in cold sweat.

 

            It had all been a dream. Rei sighed with relief. She tried grasping at the details of the dream, trying to remember what had reacting like this, but found it already dissipating into the night.

 

            But as Rei calmed down, she began to notice something was not quite right.

 

            Rei didn’t really need to throw back her covers to be certain of what had happened, but she did so anyway, refusing to believe until she saw for herself.

 

            Rei Akiyama had wet the bed.

 

 

 I also really enjoyed "The Life and Humiliations of Lavender Fairchild" and "A Much Needed Vacation" but "You Know What They Do To Girls Like Us In Brighter Days?" it's crazy it makes you feel the discomfort that Rei feels.  I am very much identifying with Rei

I hope Riley understands what's happening to Rei and can help her. I love happy endings

[DAQ]

I started reading this story yesterday and am already all caught up and have to wait for new chapters. Great story! 😭
😭

[Chels in Ribbons]

Hi all! Just wanted to provide a quick update so that yall know this story isn't dead! It's the end of the semester for me, which means I'm very busy and haven't had much time to work on this story. I apologize for keeping you all waiting, but, once the semester ends, I should have a lot of free time to make good progress on this story. So while it might be a few weeks before the next update, after that they should continue pretty regularly. Thanks for your patience!

[Grumpy Devon]

Take all the time you need, your writing is worth the wait!