age regression The Gift... (Completed 7/30/25)

[Sarah_Hillcrest]

Early chapters are being removed as new chapters are added, check out the book on kindle of you want to keep reading.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FFHF7JTC

 

The Gift

Chapter 1.  Spring Break

Clark opened his eyes, and felt waves of pain through his head.  He groaned and rolled over and felt a wave of nausea wash over him.  Then he was hit with the realization that he couldn’t remember where he was or how he got there.  He tried to take stock of his situation.  Small insects crawled up his arms and legs, he was surrounded by small green plants and overhead a canopy of light green leaves, beyond that a blue sky, sun, but which sun?   "Oh dear!" A voice, warm and inviting, cut through his haze.

Clark squinted. A silver-haired woman in a sunflower-print dress hovered over him, her face creased with concern. Behind her stood a lanky man in a faded baseball cap, and baggy cargo shorts.  “I’m, ummm. I need help,” Clark said.

"Easy there, son," the man said, kneeling beside him with a grunt. His knees popped like bubble wrap. Up close, Clark could see the frayed stitching on his cap, the sunspots on his leathery neck. A retired human—or possibly a decaying biological android? Clark’s addled brain unhelpfully supplied.

The woman Linda, her gardening gloves tucked into her dress pocket pressed a cold water bottle to his forehead. "You’re in Sycamore Park. Can you tell us your name?"
Name. Right. Humans needed those. "Clark," he croaked. The water bottle crackled in his grip as he gulped. His throat burned like he’d swallowed a plasma coil. "I think I… overdid it last night."
Jim snorted. "Spring break’ll do that. You college kids never learn." He eyed Clark’s rumpled clothes and frowned. "Where you stayin’? We’ll call you a cab."

 

[BabySofia]

Good start! Looking forward to seeing more of this! 🙂

[sklawlor]

this is really good, looking forward to reading more.

[therende]

Definitely interesting, kind of like an old Twilight Zone episode.

[Eagle0769]

Wow what an imagination. Keep going. Love it so far. 

[Sarah_Hillcrest]

Thank you for the feedback!

 

Chapter 2
Changes in the Air

The morning sun had barely crested the horizon when Jim Patton laced up his sneakers and stepped out onto the porch, breathing in the crisp dawn air. For the first time in years, his knees didn’t creak. His back didn’t protest. He felt… light.

The rest of the chapter has been removed.  

 

[BabySofia]

Glad to see another chapter, don't forget to rename the chapter on the first post so people know you posted it. 🙂

[Eagle0769]

OMG what a great story. To be honest I really thought Jim was going to be Linda's baby. 

I'm really loving this so far. Can't wait for the next chapter. 🙂

[Sarah_Hillcrest]

Chapter 3
The Accident

Jim woke slowly, wrapped in a warmth he hadn’t felt in decades. His limbs were heavy with sleep, his mind still floating in that soft, dreamy place where nothing hurt and nothing worried him. He hadn’t woken up to pee at 3 AM. He hadn’t woken up at all.

Then he shifted and froze. The mattress beneath him was cold.  His stomach dropped.
No. Not again.

He lay perfectly still, as if maybe, just maybe, if he didn’t move, it wouldn’t be real. But the dampness clinging to his thighs was undeniable. The faint, sour tang in the air was unmistakable. He’d done it again.  Two nights in a row.

Rest of chapter removed.

[therende]

Love the humor👍

[Eagle0769]

I wish I was lucky and had the ability to write this well. 

I'm a little disappointed I thought maybe Linda was pregnant and her wish would come true but that's not what this great site is about.

Waiting for the next chapter. 🙂

[Sarah_Hillcrest]

Chapter 4
Shifting Tides

The guest bedroom walls glowed like a morning sky under Linda’s roller strokes. Baby blue, she hadn’t planned it, hadn’t even questioned the paint chip labeled "Nursery Dream" until the clerk was mixing the gallon. Now the color seemed to pulse in the afternoon light, humming with some unnameable promise.

Clunk. Jim dropped another assembled cubby shelf onto the drop cloth, his Mickey Mouse shirt damp with sweat. “These look like something from a kindergarten,” he chuckled, running a hand along the rounded edges.

rest of chapter removed

[BabySofia]

I don't think they're going to be hanging out with their 'old' friends much longer unless they're babysitting Jim.

[Sarah_Hillcrest]

Chapter 5

Linda pulled back the blanket and saw a wet spot, not a big one, but still there it was and Jim hadn’t even said a word.  She felt it with her hand, her beautiful soft, and far less wrinkled hand.  “What am I going to do with him,” she said.  The Depends weren’t really cutting it.  “Why don’t they make a real diaper for adults,” Linda said out loud as she stripped the sheet off the bed. Then she saw something else, fine body hairs all over the sheets.  Her curiosity peaked she went to the bathroom and found Jim’s PJs in the hamper, the bottoms were wet where his pull-up had leaked.  She found the same hairs inside them as well.  

rest of chapter removed

[Eagle0769]

Again well written and a joy to read. 

This is really getting interesting. 

Hope we don't have to wait to long for the next chapter. 🙂

[Sarah_Hillcrest]

Chapter 6

Linda gingerly stood out of bed and stretched her arms above her head.  The smile on her face grew wide when she looked down to see Jim still asleep on his side of the bed.  He was in the fetal position, one hand clutching tightly around the blanket that he always seemed to pull off, and the other balled up in a fist close to his mouth sucking his thumb.  He was sleeping in only a Mickey Mouse T-shirt and his diaper which was puffy and swollen.  To Linda he looked like an angel. 

Linda’s physical changes were subtle, but Jim might as well be a different person.  There wasn’t a trace of hair anywhere on his body except the hair on this head which was grown thicker and turned back to the dirty blond of his youth.  Linda reached out and gently traced a finger up his leg.  His skin had lost the texture of age, now smooth as poured cream. The sunspots that once dotted his back like spilled coffee had vanished, leaving a canvas so uniform it seemed manufactured.

She turned his wrist gently, studying the blue veins that now ran closer to the surface, delicate as ink lines on rice paper. The calluses from decades of lawnmower handles and fishing rods had melted away, leaving palms soft as a kindergartener’s. Even his smell had changed—that musky, salt-and-sweat essence of manhood replaced by something innocent, like warm milk and crayon wax.

Jim stirred and his thumb slid out of his mouth,  blinking up at her with eyes too bright in a face too young. “M’kay?” he mumbled, the word thick with sleep-slurred syllables.

Linda tucked the sheet around him, her thumb brushing his cheek where the laugh lines had been. “More than okay,” she whispered.  “Back to sleep honey” she whispered and Jim stretched before rolling over and easily drifting back off.

Linda carefully felt the bed around his bottom.  It was a little damp, even with the Super absorbent diapers and booster pads he was still leaking.  Linda walked by the guest bedroom and looked in.  The baby blue walls now had several pieces of art that would be suitable for a little boys nursery, they were on clearance at Hobby Lobby so she couldn’t pass them up.  She was slowly making a nursery, she knew it deep down.  Opened packs of Jim’s diapers and pull-ups  were on top of the dresser.  She thought it funny how after a few weeks now they both felt no need to hide them, not that they had visitors anyway.  

She made her way to the kitchen and started her morning routine:  A cup of hot tea, and apple juice in a sippy cup for Jim.  She then got out her pancake batter mix and bowl. Just as she sat down at the table with her steaming mug, her old fashioned landline phone rang—startling her enough to spill a few drops on her hand.
“Shoot,” she hissed, wiping it with her sleeve as she grabbed the receiver. “Hello?”
“Linda! It’s Mary.”
Linda blinked. “Mary? Well, this is a surprise! Everything okay?”
“Oh yes, fine, fine. I just... well, I’ve been meaning to call. I’ve been thinking about you and Jim a lot lately. You know how the seasons turn and suddenly you realize it’s been months?”  
Linda’s stomach tightened, she knew where this was going.“Well, that’s kind of you, Mary. We’ve just been laying low, you know how it is.”
“I figured! And I need a break from the cold up here. Wisconsin in May still feels like winter. I’ve got a few days off work, so I thought I’d come down for a little visit. Nothing big! Just two or three days. I’ll buy some wine and maybe we can catch up like old times.”
“Oh,” Linda said, her mind already racing. “That’s… very sweet. When were you thinking?”
“Well, I’ll fly  out very early Thursday morning, and should be there before dinner.”
Two days, her sister was coming in 2 days.
“Oh,” Linda repeated, a bit breathless. “Oh, umm, it’s… Well it’s not a good time.”
“Oh no, what’s wrong, are you OK?”
“Oh, I’m fine, its… um.” Linda glanced toward the hallway where Jim was asleep in their bedroom, probably already leaking again. “It’s Jim, something… well he’s having problems..”
“Oh, Linda, what kind of problems? Why haven’t you told me, we talked last month?”  
Linda hesitated for half a beat.  She needed a story fast,  “Last week  Jim fell and he had to go to a rehabilitation center, he broke his hip.”
“Oh dear, that’s horrible.  Listen, I’ve already bought tickets, so I’m coming to the beach anyway.  I’m sure you need help, let me come and help for a few days.” 

Linda bit her fingernail, “OK, yeah it would be great to see you, I’ll pick you up at the airport Thursday.”  
Linda put the phone on the hook and sat back down.  She started rubbing her temples.  “How am I going to deal with this?”  she said out loud and sipped her tea.  
She moved quietly into the guestroom grabbing a pull-up from the pack before going to the bedroom.   Sunlight pouring in through the half-open blinds. Jim was still asleep, curled onto his side, his thumb back in his mouth.. She paused for a moment, watching him breathe, he looked so young now, like a baby faced 20 year old, he could be Jim’s Grandson.  She sat gently on the edge of the bed and reached out to stroke his hair.  “He could be Jim’s grandson,” she whispered and smiled.    
“Jim,” she whispered. “Time to wake up, sweetheart.”

His eyelids fluttered. He turned toward her, bleary‑eyed, and tugged his thumb free. “Mmm… morning.”
“Morning, sweetheart.” She brushed a strand of hair off his forehead. “Let’s get you cleaned up.”
He sat up, the sheet sliding down to reveal the sagging diaper. Linda lifted the blankets and began her familiar routine—wipes, powder, and sliding a fresh pull‑up into place. Jim stared at the ceiling, quiet but cooperative.

“All done,” she said, smoothing the waistband. He flexed his legs, testing the fit, then swung them over the side of the bed.
In the bathroom, he washed his face while Linda gathered his clothes— Rugrats boxers, baggy shorts and a long synthetic shirt for his morning jog.   He padded back to the bedroom, dressing himself with a shy grin.

By the time they reached the kitchen, Jim grabbed his sippy cup from the table and sipped a drink.

“Okay,” she said, hands folded on the table. “We have a problem.”
Jim paused mid‑sip, this was all too good to be true. He knew it.  
Linda nodded. “My sister called, she’s coming to see us.”
Jim dropped the sippy cup on the floor, “Well that can’t happen.”  
“I’m sorry, but it is, she bought plane tickets already.  I told her you fell and you’re in the nursing home, but it backfired,  she wants to help out. We can’t let her see you as… you are now.”

Jim frowned, “So what’s the plan?”

“We’re going to say you’re not Jim—you’re James, Jim’s grandson.”

Jim raised an eyebrow. “My grandson?”

“Before we married, you dated a woman, Marisol. You never knew, but she got pregnant and had a daughter, Elena. Elena had a son, James.  Elena died from cancer last year. Now James is twenty‑three, bright kid, been searching for you in the family tree. He arrived the day you ‘fell.’ He’s staying with me until you recover.”

Jim ran a hand through his hair. “That’s… a stretch.”

“It fits better than a grown son,” Linda said. “You pass more easily as a grandfather to a twenty‑something than as the father of a thirty‑something. He’s here to see his grandfather before it’s too late.”

“I feel like we’re writing an episode of ‘As the World Turns,’  what about me, Jim, the guy in the nursing home?  Am I off screen forever?”

“I don’t know.. We need…  I got it.  The facility is on lockdown, Covid outbreak.  They are still very strict, no visitors.  She can call you, we’ll have to have James go for a walk or something.  This can work, it has too.”  Jim scratched his head, maybe this could work this time, but not next time. This was starting to spin out of control.  He felt his emotions starting to overwhelm him and couldn’t control it.  He started to cry.  “Oh no, Jim, you’ve got to keep it together, you’ve got to be a big boy, no tears,” Linda said.  

It took a moment but Jim felt his adult mind taking charge.  “OK, so I’m James, a 23 year old, what do I do?”

“Just be warm and welcoming. Ask Mary about Jim, about her work, you know, lots of small talk.   We’ll hide the diapers and stuff in the guest room, everything that screams ‘child.’ You wear the polo, chinos and pull-ups.  Keep your voice low, and no childish habits in front of Mary.”

“And why is James here again, why did it take so long to find out Jim had another family?”

“Then you say it was complicated—family fell apart, you lost touch. After your mother died you had no one left, you wanted to reach out, but you were busy with work and college… until now.” Linda gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. “We’ve got two days to rehearse.”
Jim nodded slowly, determination flickering in his eyes. “Alright I’ll be Grandson James. this will be easy, young people these days act like toddlers anyway.”
Linda smiled, relief washing over her. “Good. Now—no more thumb‑sucking, and no sippy cups.  There is a fold out couch in your study, that’s going to become your bedroom, so move some clothes and some bags in there.  Plus hide your diapers and pull-ups in there too.”  
Jim nodded and she stood and pulled out a small notebook. “First question: ‘James, tell me about yourself.’ You go.”

***

From next door Martha watched Jim leave for his jog, he was now wearing baggier shorts, and a longer shirt, big sunglasses and hat with a wide brim.  His face and arms were smeared with thick white sunscreen.  She made a note in her journal of the time he left.  “He’s been getting later everyday,” she said to herself.  For the past month Martha had become more and more obsessed with the Patton’s, especially Jim.  They hardly ever left the house, Linda had stopped going to Bridge, and Jim wasn’t fishing, going down to the VFW, or seemingly doing much but jogging.  

She scanned through her journal’s highlighted entries.  A month ago weeks ago she noticed that JIm was dressing differently.  His old man clothes consisting of Polo shirts and cargo shorts were being replaced by options that looked more like a kid would wear, Mickey mouse T-shirts, and big baggy shorts, but in the last couple weeks he seemed to have gone to more plain options.  Regardless of what he wore and how much he tried to hide his face it was undeniable, Jim was a much younger man now and Linda looked like she could be in her 40s.

Forty five minutes later she returned to the window and on schedule Jim came jogging back, she noticed a very obvious stain on his grey shorts.  Anyone who had cared for a diaper wearing individual would recognize the tell tell signs of a leak, a V shaped stain darker near the bottom of Jim’s shorts.  She saw Jim feel around his rear and then walk around the house into the backyard.  She jotted down her observation and then quickly grabbed her gardening apron and went to her backyard.  
Martha worked on her hands and knees pretending to weed petunias while Jim sat down on their porch swing.  She could clearly see him through the hole in the fence.  He began to suck his thumb like a baby.  A few minutes later Linda came out and sat down beside him.  “Is something wrong honey?”  she asked.

Jim popped his thumb out of his mouth, “I leaked,” Jim said.  

“Oh stand up and let me see, yeah, that’s a leak for sure, you soaked that pull-up good.”  Jim flopped back down and Linda hugged him.

Martha froze, crouched behind her flower bed, her gloved hand still clutching a weed she’d forgotten to pull. Her heart thudded with excitement, scandal, and just a hint of confusion.  Jim really is incontinent? She squinted through the slat in the fence, her curiosity boiling over.

On the swing, Linda gave Jim a reassuring pat on the back. “Don’t worry, sweetie, it happens,” she said softly. 

Jim groaned, clearly embarrassed. “Why does it have to happen when I’m out jogging?”

“It’s not your fault,” Linda said, brushing his hair back from his forehead. “Your body’s still adjusting. Plus you did drink an extra cup of apple juice.”

“But I’m supposed to be acting grown up, this is never going to work?”  

“It’ll work honey, you need to drink worse and go the bathroom before you ever leave the house.”

Martha’s jaw dropped slightly. Pull-ups? Adjusting?  

Linda looked around their private fenced in back yard, “You know what would be really fun back here?  A sandbox,” she said.

Jim’s eyes lit up, “Yeah that would be cool,” he said.  They both chuckled.  “And a swingset,” he added.

“Lets get you out of those wet britches,” Linda said.  She helped Jim stand up.  

“Out here?”  Jim asked.
“Sure why not, it’ll be good for your skin to get some sunshine, we don’t want no rashes do we?”  She said and pinched his nose.  Jim popped his thumb back in his mouth and Linda pulled down his shorts to reveal a sagging Pull-up.  Martha gasped when she pulled down the sodden garment to reveal Jim’s smooth hairless privates and creamy soft thighs. They looked like a child’s, she quickly looked away in embarrassment.  

“I’ll go get a towel and a fresh pull-up, but first I want you to air out and get some sunshine on your little tushy. Linda said.
Jim nodded meekly, thumb slipping back into his mouth as Linda stood up and disappeared into the house.
Martha ducked quickly as Linda passed by her side of the fence, heart racing. What in heaven's name is going on over there? 
She stood up quickly, brushing dirt off her apron and heading back toward her porch, nearly tripping on her rake in her rush. Once inside, she snatched up her notebook and scribbled furiously.
 

[BabySofia]

1 hour ago, Sarah_Hillcrest said:

Martha ducked quickly

She reminds me so much of the way my grandmother used to spy on the neighbors! 🤣

I'm a little surprised Jim is that old still at this rate! I have a feeling Linda's sister is going to have to be told the truth, there's no way they can deal with someone in that close of proximity not picking up on things...

[Kaiko-chan]

Very interesting story. Martha is so nosy. I have a feeling the two of them will have to move out eventually. 

[FloridaKid]

It’s a little hard to tell how fast the age regression is occurring, but I agree it’ll be very difficult to hide from her sister. Too many loose threads to pull at in conversation to maintain the deception, let alone explain Jim’s incontinence, which is bound to be discovered (or revealed by a nosy neighbor).

Just a suggestion, but you might consider breaking this up into more than a single page. For those of us following the story as it is posted, it makes for a lot of scrolling, especially on a smaller device like a tablet.

[Sarah_Hillcrest]

Chapter 7

Chapter 7
Linda drummed her fingers on the steering wheel, her heart fluttering as the airport’s arrival loop came into view. She glanced at Jim, James, she reminded herself, sitting beside her in a clean polo shirt and fitted jeans. He looked young. Too young. And almost too innocent, nervously chewing on a piece of gum and bouncing his knee.
“You remember the story, right?” she asked, trying to sound calm but firm.

Jim nodded, not taking his eyes off the terminal ahead. “I’m James. I’m your step grandson. My mom was Jim’s daughter, who was born before Jim and you were married. Mom recently died of cancer and told me about my real family and I wanted to meet them. I’m twenty-three, I’m staying with you while I get to know my ‘grandfather’ in the nursing home.  Which is sadly on lockdown for a Covid outbreak.”

“Exactly,” Linda said, exhaling. “And you’re sweet and polite and just a little shy. Nothing weird. Just normal. Normal young man.”

He gave her a sidelong look. “I’ll do my best not to leak or suck my thumb. Promise.”
She shot him a warning glance, but the tension broke with a quiet chuckle between them.

Outside, the automatic doors slid open and out walked Mary, wheeling a small suitcase and wearing a denim jacket over a floral blouse. Her hair was still strawberry blonde, though now with streaks of silver, and she wore her usual warm, Midwestern smile. “There she is,” Linda whispered. “Showtime.”

Linda hopped out of the car with a big wave. “Sis!”

Mary’s face lit up as she pulled her suitcase toward the car. “Linda! Oh, it’s so good to see you!” The sisters hugged tightly. Then Mary noticed Jim, standing politely at the back of the car, and tilted her head. “Well now… who’s this handsome young man?”
“Oh!” Linda gave an awkward laugh, then gestured toward Jim. “This is James. He’s, well, it’s a long story. Why don’t we get in the car and I’ll explain everything on the way home?”

Jim offered a small, practiced smile. “Hi, Ms. Mary. It’s nice to meet you.”

Mary blinked at him, clearly surprised, but smiling. “Well, aren’t you polite.”
Linda quickly opened the trunk. “Let’s get you loaded up and out of here before the airport police start waving us off.”
As Mary climbed into the back seat, Linda met Jim’s eyes over the roof of the car. His expression was tight with nerves. She gave him the smallest nod.
Here we go, she thought. Just a few days. Just keep the story straight.

***

“Wow, that’s incredible, I’m so sorry about the loss of your Mom. And for real, Jim never knew he had a daughter, and granddaughter?”

“No, when he and my Mom split up it was on bad terms.  She moved to California and never spoke to him again.”  Jim explained.

“Well you are a spitting image of your grandfather when he was your age, and how lucky you get to meet him, I just wish it was a better situation.”  Mary said.

“Well I got to spend a few days with him before the facility went on lockdown,” Jim replied.

Linda smiled and looked over at her Sister who was driving, “OK, now the real story.”  Linda looked at Jim in the mirror and a silence fell over the car.  “What are you doing to look so young, I haven’t seen you in years, you look amazing!”  Mary said. 

Jim and Linda both sighed with relief, “Oh, it’s a new spa in town, they have an amazing skin routine.  While the girls talked Jim felt himself squirt a bit into the Pull-up.  He’d been purposely drinking less and trying to use the bathroom as much as possible.  He could hold it, but just barely.
When they pulled in the driveway he quickly made his way in the house and to the bathroom.  His Pull-ups were hidden in a bottom cabinet, three night time diapers were hidden in the den where he would sleep.  The plan was just to hide his wet pull-ups at the bottom of the trashcan.  He was only a little wet and didn’t need a change.  

“My goodness, this house looks amazing, I’m sure you’ve changed it,” Mary said as she entered the house.  Linda gave him a tour while Jim followed them around smiling.  Afterwards they went out to a new local restaurant, Jim and Linda had stopped going to The Nook since they were regulars there.  This new restaurant was cozy, with soft music playing and exposed brick walls. They found a booth near the window. Jim slid in first, Linda beside him, and Mary across from them with a big smile.  A waitress brought them water.

Jim had to be careful with the large cup of water he got, he knew drinking too much would result in a leak, and he was afraid he would spill it.  
“I still can’t believe you kept this all a secret from me,” Mary said as she opened her menu. “A grandson! I mean, when were you planning on telling me, Linda?”
Linda forced a chuckle. “Oh, you know how life gets… and it all happened so fast. I didn’t want to overwhelm you until we were sure James was going to stay for a while.”
Mary turned her attention to Jim, studying him with the kind of scrutiny that only a nosy-but-loving aunt could manage. “So… James. Do you mind if I ask a little about your background? I mean, I feel like I should know something about my new great-nephew.”

Jim tensed slightly and carefully set down his water glass. “Um, sure. Ask away.”

Mary folded her hands. “So, your mom is Jim’s old girlfriend’s daughter? That’s quite a connection.”

“Yeah,” Jim said, trying to sound casual.  Jim never knew that my grandmother. Ellie got pregnant, when they broke up she moved to California with a girlfriend, and found out she was pregnant a few months later, she never told him when my Mom, Sarah was born.  My grandmother died when I was really young and  my Mom got really interested in her family tree.  She knew her father was named Jim Patton, but she was afraid to reach out to him.  She recently died of breast cancer and I just wanted to do what she couldn’t, you know.  My Mom  found Linda through one of those family tree websites. You know, spit in a tube and all that.”

Mary laughed. “DNA and drama. That’s our family.”

Jim smiled nervously. “Yeah… she told me stories her Mom had told her  about him. I just thought it’d be nice to meet his side of the family. Before it was too late.”

Linda jumped in quickly. “And then the poor thing showed up right before Jim had his accident.”

“Oh, right!” Mary leaned in. “That must’ve been awful. What exactly happened again?”

“He… fell,” Linda said, a little too fast. “Broke his hip. Complications, you know how it is at that age.”

Mary nodded solemnly. “So many things go wrong all at once.”

Jim gave a small, rehearsed sigh. “I only got to talk to him once. He was already on heavy meds by then.”

Mary looked at him with a little frown of sympathy. “That must’ve been hard.”

Jim shrugged. “It’s okay. At least I got to meet Linda. And she’s been… really great.”

Linda gave him a squeeze under the table, just out of view. “He’s part of the family now.”
Mary smiled again, but her eyes lingered on Jim for a few extra seconds—curious, a little unsure.

The waiter came by and took their orders—Linda asked for a chicken Caesar salad, Mary got the fish special, and Jim nervously chose the chicken nugget meal. As soon as the waiter walked away, Mary arched an eyebrow at his choice.  “Did you just order that from the kid’s menu,” Mary said with a laugh?

Jim flushed and smiled awkwardly. “Yeah, uh, I just really like how they make it here.”

Linda quickly jumped in. “He’s got a sensitive stomach, poor thing. The travel’s been rough on him.”

Mary nodded slowly. “Mmm-hmm.”

Later, as they ate, Jim was dipping his chicken nuggets into sweet and sour sauce and absently swinging his legs under the table. The rhythmic motion bumped into Mary’s purse several times.  

“Someone’s got the wiggles,” she said.  Jim had a big smear of sauce on his face and didn’t realize it.  “Here, James let me get your face,” Mary said and wiped the sauce off his chin.

“Oh!” Jim sat up straighter. “Sorry, I didn’t realize.”
But the damage was done—Mary’s eyes flicked to Linda, who gave a tight smile.

“He’s just got energy,” she said. “Youth.”

“Mmhmm,” Mary said again, but now she was watching Jim just a little more closely than before.

The next day went by fast, ‘James had to run to the store and buy milk, and while he was gone Mary got a chance to have a phone call with Jim.  It wasn’t a long call, he talked about how much pain he was in, and how much rehabilitation he was doing, how stupid it was that he couldn’t have visitors. Mary thought he sounded great, and wished him well.

At Lunch they went to the beach, Mary and Linda watched from beach chairs while Jim splashed around in the ocean.  “My gosh, Linda,” Mary said again, shading her eyes with her sunhat. “That boy has the energy of a 12-year-old. You sure he’s not sneaking candy when you’re not looking?”

Linda laughed, sipping from her iced tea. “I wouldn’t be surprised. He’s like a puppy, if I don’t keep him busy, he starts bouncing off the walls.”
Out in the waves, Jim was jumping over small swells, arms flailing in a way that was definitely more childlike than graceful. He gave a whoop as a bigger wave hit him, knocking him over. He popped up a second later, grinning like a kid who just won a water balloon fight.

Mary shook her head, amused. “It’s so strange… I don’t know if it’s genetics or what, but there’s something so familiar about him. His laugh even reminds me of Jim.”

Linda gave a practiced, bittersweet smile. “It’s uncanny, isn’t it? Sometimes I almost forget he’s not our family… the regular way.”

Mary leaned back in her chair, watching as Jim dug his hands into the wet sand and started sculpting a lopsided moat. “He acts so young. You’re sure he’s 23?”

“Old enough to rent a car,” Linda replied quickly, adjusting her sunglasses.
Just then, Jim came jogging up the beach, dripping and beaming. “I made a giant crab!” he said proudly, pointing toward a vaguely crab-shaped blob in the sand.
Mary laughed. “You sure did. Going for a sand sculpture championship?”

He plopped down on the towel next to Linda, still catching his breath. “I’m starving,” he said, already reaching for the cooler. He pulled out a juice box and stuck the straw in with practiced ease before sipping.

Mary tilted her head. “Juice boxes now?”

Jim froze. Linda didn’t miss a beat. “I pack ‘em for the beach, less mess. And he likes apple.” Jim nodded, cheeks pink, sipping like his life depended on it.

Mary chuckled. “You two are a riot. I can’t wait to tell the girls at the garden club about my weekend with your secret grandson.”
Jim coughed into his juice box straw.  After he finished he laid down on the big towel and almost immediately fell asleep.  “Wow, amazing, I wish I could do that,” Mary said.  
“Yeah, he really is like a big kid, it’ll be sad to see him go,” Linda said.  The two sisters caught up and Linda looked down to see Jim’s roll over and a thumb start to slide in his mouth.  She quickly used her foot to force it away, luckily her sister was admiring some guys playing volleyball.  Then Linda noticed how big the puddle was on the towel, and knew exactly what happened. 

“James, dear, time to wake up,” Linda said and shook him awake.  She handed him his backpack with clothes and a fresh pull-up in the bottom.  “Better go get changed, and take that towel with you.”  Jim nodded, luckily Mary was preoccupied.
Saturday morning started off quiet. Jim had slept in after his beach day excitement, while Linda made pancakes and Mary brewed her own coffee, humming softly to herself.

After breakfast, Linda went to start a load of laundry. Mary, still carrying her empty coffee mug, stepped into the  bathroom.
Afterward  she was admiring Linda’s perfume collection and accidentally dropped a bottle into the trashcan.  Digging around for it she felt something strange.
She tilted her head, then bent down slightly.

There, balled up and half-tucked under some paper towels, were two used pull-up adult briefs, Her brow furrowed. She stood still for a moment, glancing toward the door. Then, almost without thinking, she opened a few  bathroom drawers. On top were a few neatly folded towels—but something underneath them wasn’t quite right. She peeled one back.

A drawer full of disposable undergarments, She picked one up, holding it between her fingers like it might bite.
“Another thing Linda didn’t tell me?” she whispered.

She quickly replaced everything just the way it was, then flushed the toilet so no one would suspect anything and slipped out of the bathroom.  While her older sister was looking younger, she must be suffering the indignities of old age.  With Jim likely on the way out, and Linda dealing with incontinence, this “James” person’s visit seemed more and more suspicious.  Was he after their money?

That afternoon Linda decided to cook for their last meal together, the aroma of roasted chicken filled the kitchen as Linda basted the pan, humming softly. Mary sat at the dining table, half-scrolling through her phone, half-watching the local news on the muted TV.  The doorbell rang.
Linda peeked out the window and sighed. “It’s Martha,” she muttered.

Mary looked up. “Who’s Martha?”

“Our neighbor,” Linda said brightly. “She plays bridge with me sometimes. Bit of a talker.”  They were just about to pull this off, but Martha could ruin it.  She opened the door. Martha stood there, holding a foil-wrapped loaf with a grin so wide it might’ve had hinges.

“Banana bread,” Martha said proudly. “Still warm.”

“Thank you, I’ll take that,” Linda said, keeping the entry to the house blocked.  Martha glanced in as Mary walked to the front door.  

“Oh, my I’m so sorry I didn’t know you had guests,” Martha said with her big grin.  

“Please come in, I’d love to meet my Sister’s neighbor,” Mary said.   

“Yes, fantastic! Come in,” Linda said, stepping aside. “Mary, you’ll like this. Martha’s banana bread is famous.”

“Hi there,” Martha said with a wave as she entered. “And you must be Mary—Linda’s told me all about you.”  The two shook hands, then Jim appeared in the hallway.
Martha’s eyes lit up like she’d won a game show as she studied Jim up close.  Jim’s hair was different, no ballcap, different clothes, and he could pass for young man,  “Well hello again, Jim.”

Jim blinked. “Um… James, actually.”

Mary looked up  with a slight frown. “Jim?”

Linda swooped in like a hawk. “Martha, this is James, Jim’s grandson. He’s staying with me while his grandfather’s in the rehab center.”
It took Martha less than a second to figure out what was going on here, and she saw her opportunity and clutched her pearl necklace. “Jim fell, and you didn’t tell me, my gosh I could have been helping you out.” Her gaze flicked between Jim and Linda. “You know, the resemblance is just remarkable. That baby face runs in the family, doesn’t it?”

James forced a polite laugh. “Yeah, apparently.”

“I didn’t want to trouble you dear, and James has been so helpful.” Linda added quickly. “He’s been such a support.”

“Oh sure,” Mary said slowly. “Very helpful.”

“Well,” Martha said, adjusting her gardening hat, “I just wanted to drop this off. And to say if you ever need help, you know I’m just next door. I do have an eye for details.”
With a little wink that could cut glass, she turned and headed out the door.

Linda exhaled and closed it behind her. “She’s such a great neighbor.”

“She’s a character,” Mary said. She glanced at “James” again, eyes narrowing ever so slightly.

[Eagle0769]

Oh boy this is getting interesting. 

Finding his pull ups is not going to be easy to explain. 

Nosy Martha will have to be told the truth. 

Your writing and story are great. 🙂

[FloridaKid]

Nice touch leaving Mary thinking Linda is the one with incontinence issues. I think their house of cards is about to come tumbling down…

[Sarah_Hillcrest]

Chapter 8
It had been a week since Mary flew home, and it seemed that she left none the wiser to the ruse, that should have felt peaceful, but only made Linda more aware of how different things had become.  After successfully repressing their new urges for 4 days, things seemed to kick into overdrive.  She knew in her heart that she was Jim’s mother, and that he was her baby.  She was both incredibly excited and incredibly scared of what this meant.

She stood at the kitchen sink, rinsing the last of the breakfast dishes, her eyes drifting to the backyard. Jim, or James was out on the swing set again. He liked to sway gently, clutching a stuffed rabbit they’d picked up at the grocery store last week “for decor.” Linda had told herself it was just to brighten the nursery room, but Jim had gravitated to it immediately, hugging it tight in the car like a child might clutch a favorite toy after a long day.  He was wearing his stained and tattered Mickey Mouse shirt and some shorts.  His free hand was inside the waistband of his shorts.  

The sexual renaissance that Jim and Linda had experienced was gone. Jim had developed a tendency to play with himself.  She had to remind him over and over again to get his hands out his pull-up and off his Willy.  The thing is that she had lost all interest in sex herself, it was difficult to see  Jim as her husband now.  

Linda dried her hands and looked at the calendar. June 10th. Only three months since Clark. Three months, and yet the world around them felt like it belonged to strangers. Her hips no longer ached when she stood. Her fingers, once curled with arthritis, moved freely now. Her reflection could pass for late 30s with just a touch of makeup. But it wasn’t just her body. It was everything. She caught herself humming lullabies while folding laundry. She had started brushing Jim’s hair in the mornings, without even thinking about it.

And Jim… he was shrinking.
Literally.

She’d noticed it last night when they brushed their teeth side-by-side. She used to have to look up slightly to meet his eyes. Now, she didn’t. This morning, just to be sure, she made him stand barefoot against the pantry door and gently marked his height with a pencil. 5’9”. Two full inches shorter than March.
And then there were the other things.

“Linda?” Jim called from outside, his voice light and sing-songy.

She stepped out to the patio. “Yes, sweetie?”
“I had an accident, again.”  He looked down at the sippy cup lying sideways in the grass and the large wet spot spreading on the front of his shorts.
Linda sighed softly, but smiled. “It’s okay. Come inside, let’s get you cleaned up.”

He followed her in, head down, bunny tucked under one arm. Linda led him to the nursery, guest room, she reminded herself, though that word felt like a joke now.  She helped Jim onto the bed which already had a big towel laid down.  Jim didn’t resist. In fact, he looked almost relieved.
His thumb went into his mouth and he lifted his legs as Linda pulled his wet shorts down. Revealing a soggy pull-up.  As she helped him change, her touch was gentle, practiced now, like it had always been part of her day. “We’ve been trying so hard to fight this,” she murmured. “But I don’t think we can anymore.”
Jim nodded, eyes down. “I’m not a man anymore.”  He began to cry.

Linda finished adjusting the waistband and helped him to his feet. “Maybe it’s time we stop pretending.”  She went over to a drawer and pulled out a pacifier.    She had bought it a few days ago, a toddler sized Nuk.  She opened the package and brought it over to him, “You know that I’ll always love you,” she said as she guided his thumb away from his mouth and popped the teat into his mouth.  

Jim spit it out, “I don’t need that, I’m not a baby,” he said. 

Linda smiled and pushed it back into his mouth, “Your thumb disagrees,” she said with a giggle.  “I know you’re not a baby, but I think sucking your thumb is helping you deal with this, so I thought this would help too.  It’s way more hygienic than sucking your thumb, who knows where that hand has been,” Linda said with a laugh.

Jim, accepting the pacifier,  looked up at her, sheepish but comforted, and reached for her hand.  “I don’t think the Pull-ups are going to work for you anymore,” Linda said and took a pack of his plastic night time diapers out of their cardboard case and placed them on the dresser.  With care she diapered Jim, then pulled his wet shorts off.  They locked hands as they had done many times before and she helped him up off the bed.  Standing there sucking a pacifier, diapered, with his dirty Mickey Mouse T-shirt Linda felt a deep warmth in her heart, like a piece of her that had been missing for years was finally returned.  Jim could feel it too.
“I love you Mommy,” he said.  They embraced and cried tears of happiness.

It was no longer a house for retirees.

It was becoming something else entirely.

***

The June sun was high, casting golden light across the freshly mown grass of the Pattons’ backyard. A soft breeze fluttered the curtains through the open back windows, carrying the scent of banana bread and sunscreen.

Jim sat happily in his new sandbox, legs spread, a red plastic shovel in one hand, the other lazily patting down a lumpy “castle.” He wore nothing but a Mickey Mouse t-shirt and a thick, crinkling diaper that peeked out from under the hem. A pacifier bobbed rhythmically in his mouth as he hummed tunelessly, utterly at ease.
Martha watched the scene through the hole in her fence and felt herself growing more and more bold.  She pulled her notebook out of her pocket.  Three days ago James, who she knew all along to be Jim, was sitting on his swing sucking his thumb.  Yesterday a truck arrives and unloads a sandbox, Linda and Jim fill it with sand and then Jim starts building a sandcastle.  Now today he’s out here in a diaper and his Mickey Mouse shirt sucking a pacifier.  This was too much.  She made a few notes in her book, took a deep breath and walked around the fence to the gate.  

Martha strode in like a woman on a mission. She didn’t bother with pretense or banana bread this time.  “Alright, that’s it,” she snapped, stopping just a few feet from the sandbox. “I’ve played nice long enough.”

Jim froze, mid-shovel. The pacifier dropped from his mouth into the sand, and he blinked at her like a deer caught in headlights.
“Martha” Linda called, stepping out onto the back porch with a dishrag in her hand.

“Don’t Martha me,” she barked. “I want the truth, and I want it now.”

Linda’s expression darkened. “You’re trespassing.”

“Oh, spare me,” Martha shot back. “I’ve watched Jim—or James, or whatever you’re calling him today, go from an old man to... that.” She gestured toward Jim, who was now standing awkwardly in the sandbox, trying to tug his too-short T-shirt down over his diaper. “You think I wouldn’t notice? I was changing my husband’s diapers when he had Alzheimer’s. I know dementia  when I see it, but this something else entirely.  

Linda stepped down from the porch, now standing between Martha and Jim.

Martha didn’t flinch. “I’ve kept your secret this long. I didn’t say anything when he was jogging around looking thirty and leaking in the middle of the street. I lied to the bridge club, telling them that Jim was in the nursing home and your long last grandson James was staying with you.”

Jim whimpered and kicked aimlessly at the sand, his head down as if he was in trouble for being naughty.

“I’ve been patient. I’ve been polite. But I’m done playing dumb. What the hell is going on, Linda? Don’t tell me it’s a hormone treatment. Don’t tell me it’s a diet. I’ve watched it happen. Now I want the truth.”

Linda stared her down for a long moment. Then, in a low voice, she said, “Jim, sweetheart, go inside. Watch your cartoons, okay?”
Jim waddled off silently, pacifier back in his mouth.

Only once the screen door clicked shut did Linda speak again.

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”

Martha crossed her arms. “Try me.”

“OK, but I warned you.  Back in March Jim and I met a young man in the park, he was hung over and lost.  He said he lost his communicator.  I found a really strange silver bracelet in the grass.  When I gave it to him it just kind of melted onto his arm.”  Linda said.

“This is an episode of the Twilight Zone,” Martha said, arms crossed.

Linda gave a soft, humorless laugh. “That’s what I said at the time.”

Martha raised an eyebrow but said nothing, so Linda pressed on.

“After he got his bracelet on he suddenly wasn’t hung over anymore.  His name was Clark. He told us he was just visiting our area… he said he was doing research on humans and that he’d been all over the world in the last month. 

Martha gave a skeptical grunt, but Linda kept going.

“I know, we thought he was crazy. He said he was a researcher and a travel writer. He'd been observing humans.”
Martha’s mouth opened, then closed again. She didn’t interrupt.

“So,” Linda continued, “he wanted to repay us and he took us to lunch. Afterwards we were sitting at the park watching a family have a picnic and we both felt something, like someone in our minds asking us what we wanted.  I wanted to be a mother, and Jim wanted to be carefree and experience the world like a child.  A few minutes later we were both stung by giant mosquitoes.  We got kind of sick, and then the next day we felt really good, it started changing us. Reversing our age. Slowly. From the inside out.  Jim thinks that the mosquitoes injected us with some kind of virus.”

Martha blinked. “That’s what did this to Jim? To you?”

Linda nodded. “We didn’t know at first. We just felt better. Younger. Happier. Then Jim started regressing more than I did. He started acting childlike. He started wetting the bed, that's why you caught us buying Depends, now he needs diapers all the time. And I…” she smiled faintly, “I started feeling like a mother. I want to take care of him.”
Martha looked toward the house, where the faint sound of cartoons could be heard through the screen door.

“And Clark? Where is he now?”

“No clue, we never saw him after lunch.  He’s the only clue we have why this happened. We’ve looked in the park a few times but I think he’s gone for good.”
Martha slowly sat down on the edge of the patio, clearly stunned. “So you’re telling me… that baby-faced diaper boy in there is really seventy-one-year-old Jim Patton, who used to mow his lawn and yell at squirrels?”

Linda gave a wistful little smile. “He still yells at squirrels. Now it just sounds more like a tantrum.”  Martha snorted despite herself.

“And you? You look forty years younger. That’s why Mary was so confused.”

Linda nodded. “We’ve kept it quiet. We don’t know what would happen if someone found out. A government lab maybe. Or worse. That’s why we made up the grandson story.”

Martha was quiet for a long moment, absorbing it all.

Finally, she looked up, her eyes narrow. “And you didn’t tell me because…?”

Linda sighed. “We weren’t sure you'd believe us. And honestly? We were scared. We still are.”

Martha looked toward the house again and gave a slow nod. “Well… I believe you now. And I want in.”

Linda blinked. “What?”

“You heard me. I’ve had to wear Depends for four years. My knees ache. I want what you have.”  Linda let out a laugh, full and relieved.

“Well, do you have a five foot seven toddler to take care of?”

“No, but I did that when Hector died, I didn't put him in a home, I took care of him for 3 years while he drooled and shit himself,” Martha said and lowered her voice.  “Is he shitting his diaper yet?”  

Linda drew back, she wasn’t used to her friend speaking like this, “No… ,” she said as she realized for the first time that was a possibility.

“Well it probably won’t be long, and let me tell you, it’s not fun cleaning up shitty diapers, that smell gets everywhere.  Hector would…” Martha trailed off.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t know it was that bad,” Linda said softly, her humor fading.

Martha waved a hand. “It’s not your fault. But if there’s a chance to not end up like that… Linda, I’ll take it. I don’t care about the risks. You said you were scared to tell me? Well, I’ve been scared every day of ending up like that since Hector died.”

Martha sat down on the swing. Linda walked over and sat down next to her, her voice low and serious. “Martha, we don’t even know for sure, Clark never told us a thing.”
Martha frowned, her eyes narrowing. “But it was a virus, wasn’t it? Something biological?”
“That’s what we think.”

“Then it’s in you,” Martha said quickly, “in your cells. In Jim’s. If it’s replicating, maybe it could be shared. Transmitted. Like it was to you—through that mosquito.”
Linda hesitated. “We thought about that. But we have no idea how to control it. We didn’t even know it was happening until weeks in. And it’s not like we can go around asking scientists for help.”

“OK let's make a deal, I’ll keep your secret, I’ll even help you take care of Jim.  You just give me some of your blood,” Martha said.

“You’re kidding right?”  

Martha didn’t flinch. “Do I look like I’m kidding?”

Linda’s mouth opened, closed, then opened again. “Martha, you can’t just—this isn’t some  sci-fi movie! You can’t inject someone else’s blood and expect to get superpowers!”

“I’m not expecting superpowers,” Martha said flatly, stepping closer. “I’m hoping that whatever did this to you is still there, that’s all. You said it was a mosquito bite, right? Which means it’s in your blood. You didn’t get a vaccine, or swallow a pill—you got infected. That means it might be transmissible.”

“Might,” Linda emphasized. “That also means it might kill you.”

Martha snorted. “Linda, my back hurts when I sleep, I have to pee twice an hour, and I haven’t touched my toes since Bush was in office, the first one. If it doesn’t kill me, it can’t be worse than this.”

Linda ran a hand through her hair, pacing in a tight circle in the kitchen. Jim, still sitting at the table with his pacifier in his mouth, was watching them with a curious but blissfully detached gaze.

“This isn’t a good idea,” Linda said.

“Well that’s fine, but it would be a shame if the home owners association learned you were running an adult day care in your backyard, what would the bridge club girls say?”

“You wouldn’t.. Anyway, I don’t even know how to give you my blood,” Linda muttered. “We don’t have medical equipment.”

“I do,” Martha cut in. “Hector was diabetic, remember? I’ve still got his kit. Syringes, alcohol pads, everything.”

Linda stared at her for a moment longer, then turned to glance toward the window, where Jim had toddled off toward the living room. Her voice dropped low.
“This isn’t something you can undo, Martha.”

“I know.”

“You’ll lose control. Your body will change. You’ll feel urges—deep, primal ones. Mothering instincts, play instincts. It doesn’t stop.”

“I know, Linda.”

“And who knows, you might end up like Jim,”

“Better than arthritis,” Martha said. “Better than watching the mirror betray me every morning. Better than dying drooling and helpless in some hospice room.”
Silence stretched between them.

Linda finally sighed and stood up. “Fine. Let's do this. You inject yourself, it’s on you. If you start growing pigtails and craving applesauce, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

Martha grinned like a teenager sneaking into a rock concert. “Deal.”  Linda followed her across the yard and into her house.  She rummaged through a few cabinets and returned with a small medical kit, and withdrew a syringe, tourniquet and rubbing alcohol.

Linda sat down, and Martha  rolled up her sleeve like a pro and cleaned everything up. Linda felt the needle go into a vein and saw the syringe fill.  “Don’t get your hope up, OK, this isn’t going to work,” Linda said.

“Trust me,” Martha said, holding the vial up to the light with reverence. “This is the most hopeful I’ve felt in years.”  She injected herself.  A few minutes later she felt a bit lightheaded, but it soon passed.  

“OK, now my part of the bargain, let's go talk to Jimmy Boy,” Martha said.

“You don’t have to..”  Linda started but was quickly cut off.

“I have a suspicion that the more time I spend around you too the better this is going to work, plus I made a deal.”  A few minutes later Linda introduced Martha as Auntie Martha.  “She’s going to help out around here, so I want you to think of her like family OK?”  

Jim frowned, but quickly smiled when Martha produced a bag of gummy bears from her pocket.  “I’m going to spoil this little munchkin,” she said.

[Diaper-Mark]

I think I would have gone for Jimmy's blood.   an express ride to the little world.

if this works, mosquito season could be interesting.

[Sarah_Hillcrest]

"Thank you for the comments, I love them!!!  I'm way ahead writing but I tend to wait until I at least get 5 likes on the last chapter.  When I paste over from google docs it messes up he line spacing, I've been manually fixing it but is it ok like this?

 

Chapter 9

Warm morning summer sun streamed through the Pattons’ windows as Linda stood in the hallway, smoothing the front of her sundress. She paused by the door frame where Jim’s height was marked in fading black pencil, first 5'11" in March, then 5'9", then 5'3", and now, on July 2nd, barely 5'0". She’d added a small star beside the latest measurement, both proud and a little sad.

On the other hand Linda realized she was an inch taller from a straighter and stronger back. She stretched out and then began some light exercises. She walked into the kitchen and filled a glass of orange juice for her, and a large adult sized sippy cup for Jim.  She went to the nursery, it was certainly not a guest room anymore.  For starters the full size bed frame  was replaced with a white daybed that featured short guardrails all the way around.  It was the closest thing she could find to a crib for an adult, at least until she discovered the world of ABDL products.  
Throughout June, as Jim became more and more childlike, it just seemed appropriate to Linda that he have his own room.  He didn’t like it at first, but as the white cubby shelves filled with  toys and the walls were covered in decorations he began to feel more and more at home.  Linda looked down on her angel, he was wearing a light blue onesie with cute stars, that contained a very swollen morning diaper.   He was clutching his stuffed bunny and still had an adult sized pacifier in his mouth.  
Linda retrieved an adult sized diaper printed with dinosaurs, baby power and wipes then lowered the short guard rails on the front of the bed.  “Sweetie, it's time to get up,” she said.  Jim responded by rolling over and tucking his head deeper into the baby blanket.   “Nope, Mommy’s got to get your wet bottom changed,” she said in a sing-song voice.   It had become so natural for her to treat Jim like her toddler now, that she didn’t even think about it.  She tickled him and blew a raspberry on his thigh, resulting in uncontrollable giggles and the release of what little pee Jim’s bladder was holding on.  She handed him the diaper and he began to look at it in wonder as he unfolded it.  
Discovering the world of ABDL was a total accident.  Now that Jim was in full on diapers she started looking for other options then the local medical supply store.  She had never spent much time using the internet, and their ancient desktop computer hadn’t worked in years.  Initially when she searched her phone for adult diapers she thought she was getting some off brand baby diapers in the mix.  What she really wanted was Pampers big enough to fit an adult, but when she realized those off brand diapers were actually adult diapers styled to look like baby diapers she discovered the world of ABDL.  
The idea of adults roleplaying as babies was a bit unsettling to her, especially when she saw how sexualized it could be, but that didn’t really apply to her and Jim.  There was nothing sexual about this, well almost nothing.  Jim had become rather interested in playing with his monkey, as they called it, but she really didn’t think of it sexually.  The ABDL diapers worked amazing and seemed to make both her and Jim more comfortable, the adult sized pacifier fit in his mouth perfectly, and the ABDL clothes like the onesies, rompers, and shortalls were perfect to keep his diapers up and his hands from exploring naughty places.  

After his change, she rolled up the soggy diaper and dropped it in a nearby adult sized diaper pail.  Then she snapped his onesie back on and helped him out of bed.  Jim let the pacifier fall out of his mouth and dangle on it’s strap, “What are we having for breakfast Mommy,” he asked as he wiped sleep out of his eyes. 
“How about scrambled eggs, Linda said as  he followed behind her to the kitchen and plopped down in the chair near his sippy cup and started drinking.  Martha entered a few minutes later, carrying a small canvas tote and looking more spry than she had in years.  The blood transfusion seemed to work, but much slower than it had for Linda, she had more energy, less back pain, and she noticed maternal feelings bubbling up to the surface.  She’d even stopped needing her special undergarments, but her appearance hadn’t changed.
“Someone’s already up and cute,” she cooed, leaning down to kiss the top of Jim’s head. “Did you sleep okay, sweetpea?”
Jim nodded between gulps, a bit of juice dribbling down his chin.
Linda handed over a napkin and Martha chuckled. “You’re turning me into a nanny again.”
“You offered,” Linda teased.
“I did,” Martha said, pulling a freshly laundered bib from her bag and tying it around Jim’s neck. “And if this pays off, I’ll be a sassy fifty-year-old again by Labor Day.”
“I can’t make promises,” Linda said as she leaned against the counter, watching Jim drink contentedly. “But you’re definitely not the grump who needed a walker last year.”
Martha winked. “Don’t think I didn’t notice. My knees haven’t creaked in a week.”  Martha unloaded some groceries from her tote and put them up.  Considering it wasn’t really feasible to take Jim out in public, and Linda didn’t like the idea of leaving him at home, Martha had been shopping for them.  
The three of them sat down and ate scrambled eggs,  Jim used his hands about as much as his fork and the ladies giggled as he got strawberry jelly all over his face.  Linda started to grab a napkin to wipe it off, but Martha stopped her,  “That’s what the bib is for,” she said and used it to clean him off.
“I forget you’ve got more experience than me at this,” Linda said.  
“Yeah, well, my one time raising a child didn’t go so great, she barely speaks to me.”  An awkward moment of silence passed and then Martha quickly said,  “Let's do something different, let's go to the beach!”
Linda raised her eyebrows. “The beach? With him?” she asked, nodding toward Jim, who was now licking jelly off his fingers and happily humming to himself.
Martha gave a sly grin. “Why not? He loves water. He can splash around in the waves like any other kid. We’ll bring an umbrella, and I’ve got that big mesh beach bag from when Hector and I used to travel.  Anyway it's Wednesday,  If we go to one of the farther out beaches we’ll have the place to ourselves.”
Jim perked up. “Beach? We’re going to the beach?! Yay!”
Linda chuckled, unable to resist his enthusiasm. “Well, I suppose if we pack some extra diapers…”
“Umm, do you know what happens when you get in the water in one of these?”  Martha asked.
“I guess it would swell up?”  
“Oh honey, they absorb half the ocean.”  Martha said.  
“Well does he even need diapers if he’s going in the water?”  
“A week ago I would have said no, but he’s messed his diaper a few times now, if he poops his swimming trunks it’s not going to be a pleasant trip.  Martha paused in thought.   I have a swim diaper he can use, I think it will fit him.”
“You have a swim diaper?”  
“Yeah, yeah, up until 1 week ago I was incontinent remember?”  Martha said.  “I signed up for a water aerobics class last summer, I only went once.

Thirty minutes later, Linda and Martha entered Jim’s nursery while he sat on the floor pushing around a truck.
“OK Jimmy, I found your swim trunks, sunhat, and your Hawaiian shirt,” Linda said.  Martha sat the large bag on the floor.  “Should we put the swim diaper on now?”  Linda asked.
“Umm, well it’s a 45 minute drive and I don’t think it’s really that absorbent.  Probably have a wet back seat.”
Linda crouched down to check his current diaper. “Not bad.”  Linda packed a large tote bag with an extra diaper, clothes for Jim and her and some snacks.  Then the two women expertly changed Jim into his beachwear, now so practiced that it felt like second nature. Jim stood in colorful trunks and a hat, a hawaiian shirt,  sucking on his pacifier and dancing with excitement.
Martha paused and smiled as she looked at him. “You know, I never thought I’d be packing a beach bag again for a little one.”
“Strange how life turns out,” Linda said. “But I’ll admit, this strange little setup we have is starting to feel like a family.”
“OK, Jim, me and Aunt Martha know you’re a baby, but to the rest of the world you look like a man,”  Linda explained.
Jim nodded, and took the pacifier out of his mouth and looked sad.  “I know, but it’s hard to act grown up now, and so boring,” he said.  
“I know honey, but try really hard for us until we tell you it’s OK to stop acting, can you do that.”  Martha said.
“Yeah, I guess,” Jim said and put his pacifier in his pocket.  

Forty five minutes later the breeze carried the scent of salt and dune grass as Linda parked the car beside the nearly empty beach access point. A weathered sign creaked in the wind, “This place is perfect,” Linda said.  Jim stepped out of the car, blinking in the sunlight, clutching his sand toys in one hand and the other playing with his pacifier in his pocket.
They gathered their bags and surveyed the beach. There were two spots staked out and some children playing in the waves, and a few fishermen, but tons of empty room.  They hiked to the most secluded spot and set up towels and the big beach umbrella.
"Alright, beach bum," Linda said, taking his hand. "Let’s get you changed so you can go splash around."  
“Can I have my pacy now?” Jim asked.  Linda nodded and soon he was happily sucking away and laying on a towel while the two women changed him into the swim diaper. 
“Martha balled up the soaked dinosaur diaper and giggled,”  
As the swim diaper was fastened snugly around his hips, Jim reached for his turtle and hugged it close. “Can I go now?”
“Almost, hat and sunscreen first,” Linda said, squeezing a blob into her palm.
Five minutes later, Jim was off like a shot toward the water, giggling and splashing in the waves, shovel in one hand, turtle forgotten on the towel.
Linda sat down beside Martha and pulled her sunhat lower. “Think anyone will notice?”
Martha shrugged. “If they do, they’ll just think he’s… special. Which, to be fair, he is.”
They both laughed and leaned back to watch Jim dig furiously at the shoreline, trying to beat the tide. For a little while, it really did feel like the world had forgotten them, and they were just two women enjoying a sunny beach day with a very happy little boy.