A Happy Accident: Part 2

Ding Dong

I stood outside of the daycare building, nervously shifting my weight between my feet as I heard movement coming from inside.  Ever since I got back home yesterday, I had been thinking about what happened, and I still felt strange about it.  Is it wrong for me to come back here?  I wanted to return the clothes I was lent, but it would be a lie to say that was the only reason I was here.

The door opened and there stood Marge, drying her paws on a dish towel.  Her face lit up when she saw me, and she beat me to the first words.

“I don’t remember ordering a little cutie,” she said with a smile, “but since I have one on my porch, why don’t you come in out of the cold.”

Just like that, all of my apprehension was washed away by a wave of warm, happy feelings.  With blushy cheeks, I returned her smile, stepped inside, and replied,

“Thanks.  I gotta say, just walking through the front door in dry clothes is a lot more comfortable than my entrance yesterday.” 

“Aw, you didn’t like Randy carrying you to the bathroom and drying you off?”  She asked jokingly.  “I’m just kidding.  I’ve been teasing Randy about it all day too, but now he’s gone off to a friend’s house for the night.” 

“It’s all good, yesterday was a different kind of day and it is pretty funny in hindsight.  But, I just wanted to stop by and drop off the clothes from yesterday.  I washed them too so you don’t have to worry about that.”

Taking off my backpack, I removed the stack of pants, shirt, and underwear from it and handed it to Marge before continuing,

“I know you said I could keep them, but I can’t imagine that I’ll ever wear these outside the house, so I figured that someone here could use these clothes instead.”

“That’s fine, I didn’t really expect you to walk around town wearing these, but I appreciate you washing them.  That was kind of you.”

“It was the least I could do for you helping me out, it really meant a lot to me.”

My gaze fell away from her eyes as I finished, and the next few seconds passed in silence before she said, 

“Hey, I was just reheating some pizza for dinner.  Would you be interested in sticking around for a bite to eat?  It’s just me tonight, so some company would be welcome.”

My heart jumped as I heard the words that I was wishing to hear and I internally breathed a sigh of relief that I wouldn’t have to ask to stay longer.

“That sounds great, thank you.”  I answered, trying not to sound too excited.  “I would be spending the night solo at my place too.”

“Did you get a chance to ask your cousin about going shopping?” She asked as she began making her way towards the kitchen.

Following her, I hesitated, then replied, “No.  No I didn’t.  Actually, I don’t think he ever came home today.”

“Oh, Honey Bun, I’m sorry to hear that.  But at least you’re here tonight, so it will all be OK.”

She stopped at the table and pulled out two chairs, and on one was a green, plastic booster seat.  From there, she continued towards the kitchen counter and placed a similarly-styled step stool on the floor in front of it. 

“You can wash up at the sink, then hop up in your chair and take a seat while I get the food coming.”

From only a few minutes of interaction, it was clear that she was going to treat me like I was any other small child at the daycare.  She knew that I was a college student, but nothing about her demeanor nor tone of voice seemed to acknowledge that fact.  I was a “little cutie” at the door, I need a child’s step stool to wash my paws, and I need a booster seat to sit at the adult table.  Maybe it’s fine to let my guard down?  Why was I feeling so anxious to be here anyways? 

I ascended the stool, and I was still barely looking over the top of the counter as I washed up for dinner.  To the right of the sink was a dish rack with a variety of overturned sippy cups and bottles drying on it, along with a lone pacifier.  They all looked so colorful, and as I dried my paws, I shook my attention away.  She probably wouldn’t mind, but there was no way I could ask for that.

When I was finished, I walked down the stool, and with each step, I felt as if I was shrinking.  Marge walked past with two plates, and she seemed bigger than before, and so did the kitchen chairs.  I closed my eyes for just a moment and the illusion was gone, the allure of the sippy cups fading as I approached the table.

I climbed up the chair with the booster seat, but just as I went to make the final step, my foot slipped and I started falling backwards.  I couldn’t even register the surprise before a pair of soft arms caught me.

“Whoa, there.  Be careful, please.  If you need help, there’s nothing wrong with asking for it.”

She held me beneath my armpits and lifted me up the rest of the way into the booster seat.

“I’m sorry,” I responded in a quiet voice, “I didn’t think I would have a problem with that.”

“That’s OK, there’s nothing to be sorry for, but just to be safe, let’s get you buckled in so you don’t fall.” 

I didn’t notice it at first, but the booster seat had a safety belt, and it had just been secured around my waist.  In front of me, I saw my meal on the table.  It was a plate of pizza that had been cut up into small squares, and a plastic child’s fork was resting next to it.  I swung my legs and wriggled my bum a little to settle into the seat, and as I sat there, the last of my worries crumbled away.  It was almost as though I had fallen into a dream, and I no longer felt like a college student who was pretending to be a kid, but rather a little boy who had been pretending to be a grown-up.

“Dig in, I’ll be right back with something to drink.”

I picked up the fork and went to spear a piece of pizza with it, but I had to try a second time after the dulled prongs failed to secure any food.  I hadn’t eaten since breakfast, so this tasted like the best pizza I ever had and the first bite disappeared in an instant.  As I worked on jabbing another piece, I abandoned my attempts at proper table etiquette and held the fork with a full fist, which seemed like the only way to successfully use the blunt utensil. 

“Here you go, I got you some grape juice,” said Marge, placing a blue and orange sippy cup in front of me, “I put it in a sippy so we don’t have to worry about spills.” 

Marge then started pouring a glass of wine for herself, but I wasn’t really focused on that, or even the pizza anymore.  One of the colored cups that I was hoping to use just a minute ago was now right there within my reach, and I eagerly picked it up with both paws.  I sucked on the plastic nipple and was rewarded with a flow of sweet juice that continued as my mouth reflexively began a rhythmic suckling.  I pulled the cup away several seconds later and was met suddenly with a hiccup, followed by a couple more.

“Don’t go too fast.  There’s no rush, Honey Bun.”

I smiled back at her before I was surprised with another hiccup. 

“And while you’re here, why don’t we make that your special little nickname, OK?  I think it would be perfect for you.”

At that, I was so stunned that my hiccups disappeared as quickly as they showed up.  She wants me to be Honey Bun?  It’s a special nickname that she picked out, and she chose it just for me?  Only yesterday, being called that made me feel embarrassed, but today, I was elated to hear it, and I replied with a series of happy nods before returning to my pizza. 

We spent the next twenty minutes or so talking back and forth while enjoying our dinner.  She talked about the daycare and Randy, I shared some details about the classes I’m taking, and by the time we were finished eating, everything about the situation seemed completely normal.  When I was finally sucking nothing but air from the sippy cup, Marge took both it and my plate to the sink and handed me a napkin.  I wiped my paws and mouth clean from any remaining pizza crumbs, and when she came back to the table, she surprised me by softly dabbing the corner of my mouth with another napkin.

“Missed a spot, Honey Bun.  Do you want help getting down, or can you do it yourself?”

Fumbling with the buckle, I responded, “I should be able to get down myself, but can you help with the buckle?  It looks like the same kind from the car seat.”  

Just like yesterday, she easily completed the simple task that I could not and I climbed down from the chair without any issues.  Not a moment later, the kitchen window audibly rattled from a strong gust of wind.
“Oh my, has the wind picked up that much?” said Marge, pulling back the curtain to look outside. “It’s not snowing again, but it looks like it with how much it’s blowing around.”  

“Is it OK if I go look outside?” 

“That’s fine, but don’t open it too much to let snow in, please.”

I walked to the front door, and as soon as I opened it more than crack, a frigid wave of dusty snow hit me in the face.  I immediately shut the door and wiped the melting snow from my eyes and cheeks, but my next thought was wondering how I’m going to get home in this.  Maybe I could get a ride back in the comfy car seat again?

Marge had knelt down next to me and started patting my wet head dry with a small towel before dropping it on the floor to mop up a forming puddle.

“I don’t think you’re going to get far in that weather.” she said, walking away with the wet towel.  

“That’s for sure.  I wasn’t expecting the weather to get that much worse, even without the snow, that wind chill is crazy.”  I said, pausing for a few seconds before I continuing, “I know that you’ve already done a lot for me, but could I ask you for another ride home?”

I didn’t want to seem like I was taking advantage of this lady’s kindness, but it was really cold outside. 

“Sorry, Honey Bun.  I would say yes, but I just had some wine so I’m not going to be driving anywhere, but how about I offer you something else?  Why don’t you just stay here for the night?”

I couldn’t believe what I had heard.  Stay here for the night?  That would be like a dream come true.  I hadn’t known her for more than two days, but I already felt incredibly safe and comfortable when I was with her.  Again, I didn’t want to give away how excited I was to accept her offer, so I said,

“If it’s not too much trouble, I would like that.  I can crash on the couch, or even the armchair easily enough.” 

“You can sleep there if you want.  The daycare is closed tomorrow so there won’t be kids running around, but I have a spare bedroom you can sleep in.  Follow me.”

She then walked past the kitchen and a staircase to the second floor, and opened the door to the bedroom.

“It’s not an adult’s room, but I think you might prefer it to the sofa.”

She wasn’t joking that it’s not an adult’s room.  I peeked through the doorway and saw a room that would not normally be occupied by anyone older than four.  Everything was painted in pastel blues, pinks, and yellows, there was a changing table stocked with diapers against one wall, and there were two beds.  One was a baby’s crib, and the other was a small bed with colorful printed sheets over the mattress.

“I keep this room in case we have a little one who needs to spend the night or even gets sick during the day.  Sleeping on the couch is OK, but I thought you might like an actual bed.”

I stepped closer to the bed, and the further I got into the room, the more it smelled like baby powder.  With a closer look, I saw that the bed sheets were printed with the same little dog characters that were on the underwear I was given yesterday.  I was used to all of the childish things by now, but this room had me blushing again.  I was going to be sleeping in this toddler bed tonight, and the daycare kids probably have a diaper put on them on that changing table right there before being tucked into the same bed.  

“I could sleep in here, as long as I don’t have to stay in the crib.” I joked. 

“Oh no, you can have the bed.  The crib doesn’t even have blankets on it, so it won’t be as comfy.  And speaking of comfy things, if you’re going to stay the night, you should get all cleaned up before bed.  What do you say to a nice, warm bubble bath?”

“That would be fantastic.  I haven’t had a bubble bath in years, and tonight would be perfect with how the weather is.”
 
“That’s exactly right, bubble baths are the best in winter.  One thing though, we need to go upstairs for the bath, and just for safety’s sake, I should carry you up there.  We have a semi-permanent baby gate at the bottom of the staircase, the steps are tall for little ones, and I don’t want to see you fall and get hurt.  Is it OK if I pick you up?”

I remembered the feelings from yesterday of being carried inside and the hug in the van.  The softness and warmth of their fur made me feel so protected and cared for, and I wasn’t going to object to experiencing that again.

“That would be OK.” I said quietly, my face getting slightly red again.  

“All right.  I’ll be back down to get you in a jiffy, I’m just going to run up and get the bath started.  While I’m doing that, you can look in the drawers under the bed to pick out something to wear.  Everything that would fit you is on the right side of the middle drawer.”

She started up the stairs and I was left to explore what kind of clothing options I had.  I trotted towards the bed, and even though I wasn’t going downwards like before, I felt like I was getting smaller.  I had dinner in a booster seat with a sippy cup, I’m going to be staying the night in a toddler’s room, and now I get to choose what I want to wear after a bubble bath.  Despite that, I kind of wanted to find some clothes that weren’t too childish, but I was excited to see what was inside the drawer.

Pulling it open, there were four, well-organized columns of clothing: one for the girls, one for boys, then the pattern repeated to the right with the next size up.  In the columns were shirts, pants and other bottoms, some socks, and underwear, and almost all of them were brightly-colored with cartoons or other graphics printed on them.  

I started at the back with finding a shirt, and there was a variety of colorful stripes, shapes, and popular character prints.  They were cute, but one at the very bottom caught my eye.  It was a purple and blue shirt with a picture of the pajama-clad hero of my favorite childhood video game on it.  I pulled it from the bottom of the stack, and I could tell it hadn’t been worn in a long time, but I would change that tonight.

I moved on to look at the pants.  I ignored the shorts since it was winter, there were more blue jeans, but I selected a simple pair of sky blue sweat pants.  I didn’t normally wear socks indoors, so I skipped those, and I started searching for some acceptable underwear.  I was surprised to see that there was not a single pair of underwear in that stack that was just a solid color, but I found some white briefs with blue airplanes on them that I liked.

Before I finalized my decision completely, I looked over at the drawer to the right and that got me wondering.  If the sizes increase as I go to the right, then maybe I can find some plain underwear in the next drawer over?  It might be a bit bigger, but the pants would hold it up.  I opened the other drawer, and I didn’t see any regular underwear, but I found something better.

The first thing I saw were white briefs adorned with stars of many colors, and I knew that’s what I wanted to wear.  I had a pair of underwear that looked exactly like that when I was little, but I only remember it because my parents kept a photo of me playing while wearing only those up on the refrigerator.  I started looking at the other items in the drawer, and my heart sank a little.

This drawer was mostly full of pull-up diapers and other potty training supplies, like a dry erase rewards chart with the half-erased remainder of some kid’s name written at the top.  Seeing those things, I looked back at the underwear with the stars, picked them up, and realized they were actually cloth training pants.  With a little bit of disappointment, I folded them up and put them back in the drawer.  I might be in this bedroom picking out children’s clothes to wear, but I’m not that little.  They probably wouldn’t even fit.

I closed the drawer and went back to middle one, and just then, Marge came walking back in.

“So, what did you pick out?”

Not expecting her to be right there, I quickly grabbed the shirt and pants and said, “I like these ones.  I remember playing this game all the time, and it has been forever since I’ve seen the character anywhere.”

“That’s one of Randy’s old shirts.  I’m sure it’ll look cute on you, but aren’t you forgetting something?  You couldn’t find any underwear you like?  I know that they’re in the same drawer with the girl’s clothes, but I guarantee you everything in here is cootie-free.”  

I chuckled at her joke, and replied, “Oh, I was just about to choose a pair.”

As I looked back down towards the stack of undies, I could feel my last chance at wearing the starry underpants slipping away.  Would it be weird to ask to wear those?  I don’t need to wear them and I really don’t want her thinking I do.  But on the other hand, why not?  I’m about to be carried up to a bath, what more is there to be embarrassed about?

I thought back to yesterday in the van, mustered my courage, and made up my mind.  This was another chance to make a decision for me.

“Actually, Marge.  I, uh, did find some underwear I like.  But it’s in that drawer.”

My voice trailed off at the end, and I looked down at the floor as I pointed to it.  My face was getting hot as I continued,
“I wasn’t trying to snoop, I just thought there might be bigger underwear in there.  Then I found one that I liked, but then I saw that it wasn’t regular underwear.  I don’t have accidents or anything, I just liked it, sort of-” 

I felt a finger under my chin that started gently tilting my head upwards until my eyes met Marge’s as she knelt beside me.  With a smile, she said to me in a consoling voice,

“Honey Bun, I’ll tell you the same thing that I’ve told other small guests here.  There is nothing to be embarrassed about, OK?  They’re just a different kind of underwear, and they wouldn’t make them for kiddos your size if there weren’t tons and tons of other kids wearing them too.”  

She gave me a wink, and her smile grew into a grin.  The next thing I knew, we were both laughing at the situation, and all my worries disappeared in an instant.

“Which ones were you wanting?” She asked, opening the right drawer, “Do you want to wear a pull-up or one of the training pants?”

“I like the one with the stars.  It reminds me of something I wore when I was little.  Or, littler, I guess.”

“I believe those should fit you, but let’s see.”

She held the padded briefs up to me, and sure enough, they looked like they would fit.  The bulkier crotch of the underpants was more visible now in a way I hadn’t noticed earlier, but it looked very comfortable.

“Didn’t want any socks?”

“No, thanks.  I usually don’t wear them, so these three things will be good.”

“Well, in that case, I’ll take those for now, and we’ll get you upstairs into the bath.  Are you ready?”

I nodded yes, and prepared for liftoff. 

“OK, upsy daisy!” 

She put her paws under my armpits and pulled me skywards.  It was a momentary thrill that I had not felt in a long time, almost like a roller coaster, and I landed softly on her shoulder.  Suddenly being so high up, I put my arms around her back and neck to steady myself as she stepped over the gate and began ascending the stairs. 

“Don’t worry, I’ve got you.  I won’t let you fall.” She said, patting me on the back.

One of her paws was supporting me from below and the other was behind me, and I sank into the cuddly embrace, nuzzling my cheek against her shoulder.  Just like the hug last night, I didn’t want this to end, but eventually, we reached the top of the stairs and she stepped into the bathroom.

“Time to let go now, Honey Bun.  Your bath’s all ready.”

Reluctantly, I released my hold on her fluffy neck and she set me back down.  The air in this room was warm from the bathwater, and it smelled sweet and inviting.  However, everything here was quite big and almost intimidating.  I could not reach the sink without a stool, the side of the bathtub was fairly tall, and if I tried to use the toilet, I would likely fall in.

Marge bent down to turn the water off, then said, “Your towel and wash cloth are hanging up right here, and I’ll be right back for a couple more things. 

She walked past me out of the room while I moved closer to the bathtub.  Amid the bubbles and steam, there were several bath toys floating in the water, like a boat, a submarine, and the classic rubber duck.  Marge wasn’t gone for longer than twenty seconds before she walked back in with two items.  One was a step stool, which she deposited in front of the sink and counter, and the other was a pink, plastic oval.   

“This is a toilet seat that can be placed on top of a normal toilet to make it easier for little ones to use.  I would hate for you to end up taking a bath in the potty, so you can use this for when you need to go, and the stool for washing up afterwards.  There’s one in the downstairs bathroom by the kitchen too, and the main bathroom downstairs that you’ve already seen has the short toilet and sink.”

When I got a better view of the toilet seat cover, I saw that the bottom was mostly flat, but the top had a short back that rose up from the main surface along with a raised guard in front, presumably to protect from rogue streams.  It was one thing to have picked out training pants to wear by happenstance, but being given directions by a larger, older adult on how to go to the toilet with a potty training device made my cheeks turn red again.

“Hey, just like I said, there is nothing to be embarrassed about.  It’s just a toilet seat, OK?  Now, do you want me to stick around to help you wash, or do you want to do this yourself?”

I didn’t know how to respond to that.  By now, I was most of the way to being completely treated like a toddler, but I wasn’t quite ready to be naked in front of her.  Regardless of my feelings on that matter, this was the final nail in the coffin for my sense of maturity in this house.  Here, I was just a little boy to be taken care of, bathed, and coached in how to go potty by himself.  

I continued to blush, and squeaked out, “Yeah, I should be able to do this alone.”

“Sounds good.  Everything you need is right on that shelf there, and just holler if you need anything.”

She stepped out of the room, closed the door, and I had the first moment of privacy since I arrived.  Even though I was alone now, my thoughts didn’t depart from this happy world of childish comforts.  I knew that this should feel a bit weird, but it didn’t.  Everything was absolutely perfect.

With the door closed, steam was already accumulating in the room, so I begun taking my clothes off.  As I pulled my underwear down, I looked at the stack of clothes that was waiting for me when I was done, then at the bath itself.  It was a silly thing, but seeing the starry training pants, I thought that the bath was almost like a fountain of youth, where I go in as a big kid and come out a toddler.

I looked to where my towel and washcloth were hanging, and saw that it was a hooded towel designed to resemble a character I didn’t recognize, along with a wash mitten that was modeled after a duck.  I took both items and placed them near the tub where I could reach them, then threw a leg over the side of the tub.

I hesitated briefly when my toes first touched the water, then sank the rest of my leg into the warm bath.  The touch of the water felt so good that I sighed heavily, and then moved on to the next step.  Bringing my other leg into the tub, I settled down into the heavenly pile of fragrant bubbles before letting myself fall completely into the tub with a splash.  The water wasn’t as deep as it looked, but there was enough for me to fully submerge myself from ears to toes.   

I sat under the water for a few seconds, letting it soak into every strand of my fur, and then pulled myself up, leaving a small tower of bubbles on top of my head when I breached the surface.  I playfully pulled another bunch of bubbles into my chin to compliment my new hairpiece with a beard, then turned my attention towards the plastic boat and rubber duck.  I pushed both of them along and imitated  an old cartoon episode about tiny sailors in a bath boat fighting a giant rubber duck.

After a few more minutes of play, I moved the toys aside and got to cleaning myself.  I retrieved the duck-shaped bath mitt, applied some strawberry body wash to it from a pink and red bottle, then got to scrubbing.  The strawberry scent of the body soap mixed with that of the bubbles in the bath and created a new smell that I couldn’t identify, but triggered a powerful feeling of nostalgia.  I dipped my head beneath the water one more time and massaged the remainder of the soap into my ears, then simply relaxed in the tub.

Not long afterwards, I could feel both the water starting to cool down, and a growing need to pee.  I didn’t want to leave the bath, but it wasn’t going to be comfortable for much longer, so I lifted myself out of the water.  Wading towards the faucet, I flipped the switch and the water began to drain away, leaving enough room for me to dry myself without drenching the towel.  

Once the water had receded enough, I tossed the towel around me to not only dry off, but to trap some of the fading heat.  With the hood up, this was more of an absorbent blanket than a towel with how warm it was, and I enjoyed its comfort before mopping off my fur with it.  Being sufficiently dry, I hung it back up and then approached the toilet.

I picked up the plastic toilet seat and moved it into position until it fit and I was sure that it was properly secure.  With that, I hopped up onto the toilet and settled into the potty training seat that fit me too well.  Even with no one else around, I felt a little embarrassed sitting there, but I pushed those thoughts away and continued with my business.  While I peed, I swung my legs back and forth where they hung over the toilet seat, and, with a quiet laugh, I hummed the jingle from a popular commercial for potty training pants.  

That thought reminded me of just earlier in the bedroom, and Marge wasn’t bothered at all by me wanting to wear the training pants.  She even offered a disposable pull-up if I wanted it.  Thinking more about the bedroom, I remembered the changing table with stacks of baby diapers on it, and I could feel my face going red again.  She already offered to bathe me, what if she wants to put me in diapers?  Would I say yes?  How little am I?  Not wanting to spend forever in the bathroom, I shook the idea away as I did the same with the last drops of pee.

Finishing up, I got down, flushed, and put the plastic seat back where Marge had set it originally.  I walked up the step stool, and just like the kitchen, I still couldn’t see well over the counter top while I washed my paws.

Now, it was finally time to try on the clothes I had chosen.  I picked up the padded undies, and even before stepping into them, I was nearly overwhelmed by how soft the fabric was.  I slipped one foot through a leg hole and then the other, and when I hoisted the training pants up, it felt like a cloud was rising up and over my bottom.  They fit me perfectly, but I could feel the extra material filling my groin and pushing my legs apart slightly. 

The sweat pants came next, and finally, the colorful T shirt to complete my outfit.  I could not see myself in the mirror, but I could tell that I looked exactly like any other preschool-age boy.  I was probably just self-conscious about the training pants, but I thought I could make out a slight bulge on my rear from the additional padding.  

Next, I just had to get back downstairs.  I gathered up my own clothes, opened the door partially, and called out, 

“Marge, I’m done with my bath!”

She quickly emerged from one of the rooms down the hall and came walking towards me, saying

“Was that nice and refreshing?  How do your clothes fit?”

I stepped out of the bathroom so she could see my outfit, and tried to say,

“I think they fit me pretty w-” 

“Oh my goodness!  You’re so adorable I could just eat you up!  Aw, and that shirt.  I remember when Randy used to wear that.”

I was blushing from ear to ear, but she wasn’t done.  She knelt down in front of me, and continued,

“And are you happy with the underwear you chose?  Is it comfortable?”

“Yeah, it’s nice and really soft.”  I said quietly.

“I’m happy to hear that, and if you decide that you want to try on something else, just let me know.  But before we go back downstairs, I have something else for you, if you want to follow me.”

She started walking back towards the room she came from, and I wandered behind her, feeling the training pants brushing against the insides of my legs as I walked.  When we got to the doorway, I saw that it was an ordinary bedroom, but there was an overturned cardboard box in the center that had spilled some of its contents.

“I found a box of our old stuffies, and I thought that you might want to pick one out for the night.  Do you want a stuffy buddy?”

Greater than anything that had happened so far, this was a wish coming true.  I could barely remember having any stuffed animals when I was really little, but I always wanted one in grade school.  I never tried to ask for one because I had worried that I would just embarrass myself if the response was the dreaded, “you’re too old for that”, but that wasn’t a bother anymore.  As I moved in closer, I could make out the individual toys within the inviting box of colorful, cuddly shapes, and I excitedly began picking them up.  

There was a car, a robot, a turtle, and a popular superhero, and all of them were wonderfully soft.  I moved aside a grinning, plush tooth, and saw the one that I wanted: a sunflower with a wide, green stem and a happy face.  I lifted it from the pile and ran my fingers across the velvety fabric, then snuggled it to my chest in a tight embrace.  Immediately, I felt as though I had fallen into a trance of warm comfort, and cuddling this flower was the only thing that mattered.  

A few seconds later, an arm gently curled around me and I was nudged back to reality.  With that caring, motherly tone in her voice, she asked,

“Did you find a new little friend?”

“Mmm hmm.” I nodded, still mostly focused on the stuffy.

“I’m happy for that.  Now, why don’t we get the rest of these back in the box and then we can head downstairs?”

Not setting the sunflower down, I helped Marge pick up the other stuffed toys through which I browsed, and when we were finished, she turned back to me.

“Are you ready to take another ride downstairs?”

Content with everything, I replied, “Yes, I’m ready,” reaching my arms up towards her.

Instead of picking me up like she did last time, I was surprised when I was spun around and lifted up from behind.  The floor fell away as I rose towards the ceiling and then backwards.  I was expecting to be pulled back into her arms, but then her head appeared in front of me as she set me down on top of her shoulders.

“I thought this might be fun for you.  And I’m still holding your legs, so I’m not going to let you fall.”  

I was now way up in the air, straddling her neck and sitting on her shoulders.  I was a little scared at first, being so high, then that emotion changed to joy when she started walking.  It had been so long since I felt this happy and protected, and I tucked the sunflower between our bodies to keep it safe while I held on with both paws. 

“Uh oh, low bridge!” Marge said playfully, crouching down low through the doorway before springing back to her full height with a jump.

I let out a small laugh from that, which seemed to encourage her to continue.

“And now we’ve got rough waters!  Hold on!”

She began swaying back and forth in an exaggerated manner as we made our way down the hall.  Normally, this would probably make me feel sick, but I was having too much fun, and by the time we reached the stairs, I was captured by a giggling fit.

“We’re at the canal now, so it’s time to go down, and down, and down.”

With each step, she repeated that, her voice getting lower and lower while I bounced on her shoulders.  When we eventually reached the living room, I had tears in my eyes from how much I was laughing.  Finally, the ride ended with,

“We are now arriving at Port Comfy, prepare to disembark.”

I held the stuffy again as she grabbed me beneath my arms and pulled me from my perch, but instead of returning me to the floor, she sat down on the couch and continued to hold me on her lap.  I was turned this way and that until I was comfortably cradled in her arms and I felt a patting on my butt.

“Yep, you definitely have a little more padding back here now.  You just let me know when you need to go potty, and we’ll make sure that these pants stay dry, OK?”  

I was on my back looking up at her, and I covered my blushing face with the stuffed flower. 

“It’s all right, my little Bun Bun.  There’s nothing to be embarrassed about while you’re here.  You can just lay there and enjoy being the luckiest rabbit in town, because I’m going to take care of everything.”

Her words fell over me like a blanket, and as I nestled into her soft fur, I pulled the sunflower down so I could see her.  Our eyes met and I saw that same warm smile on her face, then she went on, 

“And I’ve got to be one lucky dog too, because I’m holding a special boy who never has to grow up.  That’s right.  I have a little bunny who won’t get too big for hugs, or feel like he’s too old for stuffies or cute clothes.  All of the little ones I see eventually get big and don’t need me anymore, but then you came along.”

One of her paws came over my head and started petting my ears back, and that was it.  I pulled myself into her body and melted, letting all of my thoughts and concerns wash away into the sea of fluff that had enveloped me.  

“Oh, Honey Bun, what did I do to deserve finding you?”  

I don’t know how long I was lying there, clinging to Marge and bathing in the warmth of her embrace, but it felt like it could have been hours.  I finally let go, and she let me peel myself away from her until I was sitting in her lap again.

“What do you say to a movie before bedtime?  We still have about two hours before a certain little one needs to be in bed, so I’ll let you pick something out here while I go fix us some snacks, OK?”

“That’ll be good.  I can find a movie.”

“Just so you know, everything above the third shelf is off-limits for nighttime movies because they can get too scary.  I don’t want you having any bad dreams tonight, so I have to ask you to pick something from the lower shelves.”

After that, she disappeared into the kitchen and I approached the stand that held many tapes and discs.  I could barely see above the third shelf, but I recognized a few adventure movies that I had seen, and they did have some scary parts in them.  Next, I scanned through the lower rows of movies, and most of the titles were familiar.  One was about toys, another was about a family vacation, but the one that got my attention was about a kid who befriends an alien.  I pulled the movie off of the shelf, and the case looked just like how I remembered it, with the main characters on the front cover and pictures of memorable scenes on the back.

I set the movie down on the table and returned to the sofa as the unmistakable sound of popping popcorn resonated from the kitchen.  A minute later, Marge stepped through the kitchen door holding two containers of popcorn and drinks, one of them being the same sippy cup from earlier. 

“Did you find a movie to watch?” She asked, setting the snacks down before seeing the movie case, “Oh, this one is always a favorite.”

“Yeah, I remember I used to watch it all the time, but I haven’t seen it in years.”

“A perfect pick for tonight, then.  You can take your popcorn and drink to the couch, and I’ll get the movie started.  I put some pop in your sippy cup, but it’s caffeine-free so you don’t get all wound up before bed.”

I returned to the sofa and took a sip of the sweet drink, but it took a few tries before I got anything more than some fizzy bubbles.  When the actual liquid started to flow, I accidentally sucked it down so quickly that I choked on it and began coughing.

“There, there,” Marge said, patting my back, “There’s no hurry, take your time.”

She kept her paw on my back, continuing to deliver assistance until my coughing fit had ended.  When I was finally done and settled in, she pressed the play button on the remote control.

From the opening shot, it was like I had traveled back in time.  I had my sippy cup, my stuffy, my feet swung inches from the floor, and each passing minute of the movie felt more and more familiar.  As the colorful scenes played out, I enjoyed my popcorn and pop and let myself get completely drawn into the movie.  I even caught myself humming along to one of the songs.   

Then came a sad part where the main character is lost and alone.  I remembered that I would often cry at this scene, and to my surprise, I could feel those emotions growing inside of me.  First, I started sniffling and hugged the sunflower close to my face, but the tears kept filling my eyes.  When the alien on the screen broke down, I did the same, and gently cried into the stuffed flower.  

Without hesitation, Marge pulled me in closer to her and resumed petting my head like earlier, while softly whispering,

“Shhh, it’s OK.  It’s all right to feel sad.  Everything turns out well, you’ll see.  Shhh.”

It didn’t take long for me to regain my composure, but I didn’t move from that spot for the last bit of the movie.  Everything there was soft and warm, from the stuffy, to the couch, to the arm around my back.  I couldn’t exactly explain my feelings or why I had cried at that one part, but I knew there was nothing wrong with it.  Marge would be there to comfort me and keep me safe. 

By the time the credits rolled, I had gotten very comfortable where I was sitting and let out a short, sleepy yawn.  I hadn’t realized how tired I had become until I thought about needing to get up from the couch.  

“Yep, it’s pretty late now, isn’t it, Kiddo?  But it’s been a fun night.  Did you like the movie?” 

“Sure did, it was just like how I remember it.  Even the sad part.”

“It’s normal to feel sad if you’re scared and alone.  But I’m here, so you don’t have to worry about that.    And because it’s bed time now, you still get to choose a story for me to read to you, so even when you’re asleep, you’ll only have happy thoughts.  So, what I’m going to do now is heat up some milk for you, and in the meantime, can you to the bathroom and go potty?  Even if you don’t feel like you need to go, can you at least try?”

I knew that there was little about me that appeared to match my age, but her request still took me surprise.  I recognized it as a common part of a child’s bedtime routine to avoid wet beds, and now it was part of mine too. 

“I think I might have to go a little.”  I said quietly, covering my blushy cheeks with the stuffy and getting off of the couch.

“Hey, I know you like your little sunflower, but to stay clean, we need to leave it outside of the bathroom, OK?  It will still be here when you’re done, I promise.” 

Hearing that, I relaxed my hold on the toy and placed it on the table, exposing my red face as I trotted to the big daycare bathroom.  When I went to close the door, she said one more thing,

“Just let me know if you need any help.”

“Can do.” I replied with a smile before fully shutting the door. 

This was the first time I had been alone in this bathroom.  Yesterday, I was sitting on the changing table in my underwear, but today, I headed for the toilet.  When I was upstairs, Marge had said that this bathroom had the short toilet, but it looked just like the ones that I had back home.  At least this one didn’t require a plastic seat, so I was able to lift it up like normal.

I pulled my pants down and tried to start peeing, but only a small trickle came out and nothing more.  Only then did I start to think about why I was there.  I didn’t really need to pee, did I?  I only came here because Marge told me to go potty, and that wasn’t a bad idea.  I didn’t want to wet the bed, of course.

I flushed the toilet and washed up at the sink next to it.  This was the first sink I had used here that I could comfortably reach, and when I was finished, I dried my paws on the towel there.  Before I turned towards the door, the changing table and its contents caught my eye, and I was reminded of what I had been thinking about in the upstairs bathroom.  Those diapers could fit me like the rest of my outfit, so should I be wearing one?  Would I want to wear one?

I walked over to the changing table and picked up one of the colorful diapers, feeling its crinkly exterior layer and the soft interior.  Everything about it seemed happy and comfortable, but I knew that I shouldn’t wear it.  I’m too old for diapers, right?
I put the diaper back in its place on the stack, then exited the bathroom where Marge was there to meet me, holding the sunflower and another sippy cup.

“I’ve got your milk all ready.  Were you able to go potty?”

“Just a little.”  I responded, slightly embarrassed by the question.

“OK, well as long as you tried.  Let’s go to the bedroom now and you can pick out a book before it’s ni-ni time.” 

She handed the stuffy back to me and we both walked down the hall to the bedroom, where I saw the full bookshelf.  Some of the books were newer and unfamiliar to me, but there were others that I had read as a small child.  One had a tattered spine, but I could still make out the title as a book about the vehicles that animals travel around in.  I took the book from the shelf and opened it, and the smell of the pages was exactly how I remembered it.  It was almost as if aging paper, baby powder, and love could have a scent of its own. 

“Can we read this one?”  I asked, holding the book up.

“We absolutely can.  But hop up on the bed for a minute first, could you?”

Following her direction, I climbed up on the bed as she was sitting down on it, and I was met with a noisy crinkling along with a strange feel from underneath the sheets.

“What’s that, Marge?”

“That, Honey Bun, is what I want to talk about.  That’s a waterproof mattress cover that’s always on this bed, and it’s always there because little ones sometimes have potty accidents at night.  It might not happen every night, but it’s still important to have some protection against those bedtime floods.  But that cover only keeps the mattress dry.”

I was pretty sure I knew where she was going with this, and my cheeks started heating up before I could cover them again with the stuffy.  From behind the wall of soft fabric, I said,

“It should be fine.  I haven’t wet the bed in a long time.” 

“And that’s a fact for lots of boys just like you, but sometimes, many small factors can cause little rain storms to happen in your sheets.  Stress is a big part of it, which isn’t helped by spending a night in an unfamiliar home in an unfamiliar town.  It probably won’t happen, but there’s nothing wrong with being prepared for it just in case.”

I peeked out from behind the sunflower to look at her, and squeaked out the question, “Prepared?”

“Honey Bun, it’s up to you if you want to, but I think it’s a good idea if you wear a pull-up or diaper to bed tonight.” 

It was such a simple statement, but it broke right through the last wall that I had built around my feelings.  I’m just a baby bunny.  I’m a little baby bunny, and that’s OK.  Marge only wants to take care of me, and I need it.  In my moment of vulnerability, I scooted closer to her and she wrapped her arm around me.  

“I’m not trying to embarrass you, I just think it’s what’s best for you getting a good night’s sleep.  Think about it.  If you put on a pull-up, then when morning comes, wet or dry, you can take it off and nobody knows about it but us two.  But if you have a wet night in your normal undies, or even those training pants, then you’re going to wake up in the middle of the night, cold and wet, and it might be hard to get back to sleep after we change your clothes and sheets.  Furthermore, I know that most kiddos get really upset if they wet the bed, and I don’t want to see you like that, crying over a harmless accident.  I just want you to be as happy as can be.”

By the time she finished speaking, her voice was like a whisper, and I was under its spell.  She really was just being a good mama, looking out for me in every way.  And she had a good point.  It’s just one night in a diaper, and I’ve already been wearing these training pants, so it’s not that far of a leap away.  But do I really need a diaper, or am I big enough for a pull-up?

I continued thinking for a few more seconds, until a fun idea occurred to me.

“How about a deal?  If I’m still awake when the story is over, I’ll put on a pull-up, but if I fall asleep first, you can do what you think is best.  Is that OK?”

“Aw, that’s a really smart idea, Honey Bun, and I accept.  Now come up here on my lap, and I’ll read you your bedtime story.”

With a paw of assistance on my bottom, I crawled onto her lap and positioned myself like how I was earlier, on my back and looking up at her.  Then she handed me the sippy cup of warm of milk, and I slipped it into my mouth as Marge began the story.

“Do you know?  Do you know of all the things that go?”  She read, holding the book where I could see the pictures.

Somehow, her voice seemed even more gentle and full of love than it had been, and with the first sip of milk, I knew that I probably wasn’t going to make it through the story.  The milk had been sweetened with honey, and once I started drinking, I couldn’t bring myself to stop.  

“You can ride a bus to school if you like, or if the weather is nice, you can go on a bike.”

My body had completely relaxed as I filled my tummy with the warm drink, and I found it increasingly difficult to focus on the story.

“A train on the ground or a plane in the air, these things can take you anywhere.”

I closed my eyes for a couple seconds and just listened to her words lull me to sleep, and I felt I was being slightly rocked in her arms.

“Is it bed time for Bunny?”

As sleepy as I was, I could tell that wasn’t a line from the book, and removed the sippy cup from my mouth to softly mumble,

“You win the deal.”

“You just go on to sleep, and I’ll take care of everything.  I promise.  You’ll be so comfy and cozy that you won’t have to take a break from your happy dreams until the sun comes up.” She whispered back.

My eyelids were very heavy, but I wanted to say one more thing before I fell asleep.  I was so tired that I momentarily forgot what I wanted to say, but it was too important to forget entirely.  Snuggling up closer to her chest, I let her know,

“I love you, Mama.”

“And I love you too, my sweet little Honey Bun.”

Those words floated around in my ears with a magical ring, and a kiss to the top of my forehead was the last thing I remember before sailing away into wonderful dreams.

***********************************************************************************

“Hey there.  Good morning.  Rise and shine, Honey Bun.”

What?  Who is that?  I was just on a ship.  We were going after buried treasure, we survived a storm and nearly sank, and then we were just about to arrive at the lost island.  Where were we now?

“Did you have sweet dreams?”

Dream?  What’s that about?  I’ve been on the ocean for a week, and before that, I was—wait.  I remember now, I’m at the daycare and I fell asleep.

“Marge?”

“Yep, I’m here, Bun Bun.  You must have slept well, because you were out like a light last night.  And it looks like the stars went away.”

I cracked my eyes open slightly to see the morning sun filling the room, and said with a sleepy laugh,

“The stars tend to do that when it’s bright out.”

“Of course the stars go to sleep during the day, silly, but I was talking about the ones on your diaper.”

“My diaper?” I asked, starting to wake up a little more.

“Remember last night?  You were pretty tired, but we talked about wearing a pull-up or diaper to bed.  You fell asleep and didn’t want to wake up, so I made sure you that had a nice, snug diaper on before I tucked you in.  That seems to have been a good decision, because I don’t think a pull-up would have lasted the night.”

The hazy memories of the previous night became clearer, and I recalled the conversation about protection against bedwetting and the deal I offered.  She must have followed through with diapering me, but what’s this about stars disappearing?  I was now aware of the thickness between my legs and under my butt as I sat up and looked at the diaper for the first time.  I knew it was a diaper, but I was still taken aback by how babyish it was, with elastic frills almost covering my tummy and a colorful print of sleeping teddy bears under a smiling moon. 

The second thing I noticed was a strange squishy feeling in my crotch, and I curiously poked the front of the diaper with my paw to confirm it.  That’s odd, I’m pretty sure the diaper I picked up in the bathroom yesterday wasn’t that soft and spongy.

“Is it supposed to feel like that?  And what did you mean with the stars?”

Before answering me, she sat down at the foot of the bed and pulled me towards her until I was lying in her lap again.  Returning my stuffy to my waiting arms, she replied,

“Honey Bun, diapers feel like that when they’re wet, and these ones have little stars on them that disappear to let grown-ups know when their little kiddos need a change.  Right now, that little one is you.”

She finished by gently booping me on the nose, but it didn’t help to relieve the shock of what I had just heard.  How could I be wet?  I haven’t wet the bed since I was three years old, so why would it happen now?

“I, I peed?”  I stuttered, prodding at the diaper a couple times more. 

“Mm hmm.  Sometimes, your body feels the need to go pee pee, but it’s also too tired to wake up.  And that’s fine, Bun Bun, that’s why you were wearing a diaper in the first place.  It soaked up all the potty so your sheets, clothes, and you don’t get wet at night.”

As I lay there, in this toddler’s room and wearing a soggy diaper, I was hit by a feeling that I couldn’t describe.  It was a kind of embarrassment, but it wasn’t the same as how I felt about certain things over the past two days.  Instead of being a grown-up feeling like a child, I was now preschool boy feeling like a baby.  

“But I don’t-” My voice trailed off before becoming a soft whimper.  I felt my lower lip start to tremble, and I hugged the stuffy tightly for comfort. 

“Oh Honey Bun, it’s OK.  These things happen.  Lots of little boys just like you wake up wet sometimes, but that’s what the diaper is for.  There’s no need to cry, it’s all OK.  This is normal for little ones.  Nobody expects you to stay dry all the time.”

Those last words went right to my heart and pulled open the floodgates of my emotions.  Since I arrived last night, Marge had been gradually lifting away all of my responsibilities, and she just relieved me of the last one.  It didn’t matter if I was hungry, thirsty, needed a bath, or even if I had a potty accident, she would love me and take care of me.  My sniffles grew until I was openly crying, which caused Marge to completely switch into mother mode.

“Shhh. Shhh,” she whispered in my ear while softly bouncing me, “Shhh.  Mama’s here.  Mama’s going to make everything OK, but I need to get you cleaned up first.  Want me to get this dirty diaper off of you?”

Still blubbering into my sunflower, I answered her with a nod.  I couldn’t even keep my diaper dry for one night, how could I handle changing myself?

“All right, that’s just what I’m going to do then.  You keep snuggling your stuffy and try to relax while I get you into some dry pants.”

She stood up with me still in her arms, and headed right for the changing table.  I buried my face in the stuffed flower and finally started to breathe normally while Marge set me down on the crinkly surface, lifted my shirt up to my armpits, and secured the safety strap across my chest.  Without saying a word, she ripped the tapes off and pulled the front of the diaper open, leaving me completely exposed.  With the diaper off, my bottom and front suddenly felt much cooler, and only now could I tell that my fur down there was damp with pee.

“Here comes a wipie, sorry if it’s a bit cold.”

I flinched at the first touch of the wipe, and it was only partially related to its temperature.  She then began cleaning me like an expert, and I had to stifle a few little whines when I felt the wipe glide into a new area.

“Lift your legs now, Honey Bun.”

I did as I was told, but her large paw was easily holding both of my legs up anyways.  Then the next wipe came, and it slid across both of my butt cheeks before making a final pass between them.  The sensations from my private area made me wriggle slightly on the table until Marge was finished, or I thought she was, until I heard,

“Oh, someone could have wiped a little better last time.” 

I let out a quick squeak, and I don’t think covering my face mattered anymore, because my whole body must have turned bright red.  I felt the wipe on my bum again as she made sure that I was clean to her standards, and then the ordeal was over.

“It’s all right, learning the steps of going to the toilet takes time, but you’ll get there.  Now, let’s get your legs back down a little so I can get your pull-up on.  You’ve been doing really well at avoiding accidents during the day, so I don’t think you should need a diaper.  Unless you think so.”

Drying my eyes on the soft fabric, I relieved the stuffy from its duty and moved it away from my face to be met by Marge’s tender gaze.  She looked so big from this perspective, and she stood there holding a light blue pull-up while she awaited my answer. 

I cleared my throat from the tension of crying, and said, “A pull-up will be fine.  I think I only wet the bed last night because of all that milk I drank.  I won’t have any accidents when I’m awake.  Or at least I shouldn’t.”

“And that is exactly why it’s smart to wear a pull-up.  You can pull it down like undies so you can go to the toilet, but it also helps keep your clothes clean and dry if necessary.  It’s the best of both worlds for a bunny your size.  Now, let’s start with your right foot.”

She guided the pull-up over my right foot, followed by the left, before sliding it the rest of the way up my legs.  The frilly material around the leg holes tickled my thighs, and my butt was lifted from the table seemingly effortlessly as Marge guided my tail through the back of the absorbent underwear.

I had been asleep for when this happened last night, so I lay there without saying another word as I took in the fact that I just had my diaper changed for the first time that I could remember.  The babyish nature of it all was enough to be overwhelming, but I couldn’t stop thinking about how I wouldn’t appear the least bit out of place here to anyone else.  The diapers fit, the clothes fit, I’m the right size for the changing table, and Marge lifted and moved me as needed to clean me in the same manner as any other child who has shared this same view of the ceiling. 

“There we go, all fresh and dry now.” She said, unbuckling the safety strap and scooping me up in her arms again.  I was expecting Marge to bring me somewhere else, but instead of walking, she just held me to her chest and started bouncing me.  I grabbed on to her shoulder as I felt dull, rhythmic pats on my bottom, and the combination of the motion and the soft sounds from my pull-up mesmerized me.  Everything was right, and this was exactly where I needed to be.

I could tell that we were moving again, but I couldn’t gather the strength to turn my head and look around.  It was not a long journey, and she soon set me down on the bed and took a seat in the same spot from earlier.  This was my first chance to sit upright and look down at my pull-up, and now I could make out colorful pictures of cars, trains, and other means of transportation printed over the blue background.  Almost subconsciously, I tugged the shirt down to cover my new underwear, but the slack in the material ran out quickly and the majority of the pull-up was still exposed.

“Are you cold, Honey Bunny?  If you want something else to wear, I have a special outfit that you might like.  I found it this morning before you woke up.  Do you want to try it on?”

“That sounds nice.” I responded, letting go of the hem of the shirt.  I’m not sure what kind of clothes she found, but if she said it’s special, she must be telling the truth.

“OK, close your eyes for a second, it’s a surprise.”

I shut my eyes and covered them with the sunflower, almost giggling in anticipation of what kind of wonderful thing Marge picked out just for me.  I could hear footsteps, the closet opening, and plastic hangers clacking together, and then the steps returned towards me.  

“Here it is, you can open your eyes now.”

I uncovered my eyes and got my first look at a classic little boy’s sailor outfit.  The top was white with blue trim and the wide collar, while the bottom consisted of blue, short overalls with white trim around the legs.  I didn’t say a word, but the glow from my face spoke for me.  

“Aw, I knew you would like it.  And you can wear it for as long as you want.”

Wait.  As long as I want?  But what about Randy?  Isn’t he coming back soon?

Marge must have seen my happiness give away to concern, because she asked,

“What’s wrong, Bun Bun?  Is something the matter?”
“I just remembered, isn’t Randy coming back today?  What if he sees me like this?”

“Oh, don’t you worry.  First of all, knowing Randy, he probably isn’t going to wake up for another three hours, and even if he did come home early, I’m sure he would think that you’re just the cutest little thing.  Don’t worry one bit, all little ones are completely safe under this roof.  So, what do you say to getting dressed?”

Letting my apprehension change back to joy, I reached out to take the clothing, but Marge softly grabbed my wrist. 

“You just put your arms up and let Mama take care of this.  I have lots of experience in changing and dressing small kiddos, so you just leave this to me.  But I’m going to need to take your stuffy for a bit, OK?  It’ll be right here though.”

Almost reluctantly, I gave up the stuffed flower and then raised my arms just in time to feel my shirt float up and away.  I felt chilly for a quick moment before the sailor top came falling over my arms and head, and I fidgeted while Marge pulled it down the rest of the way.

“Peekaboo!” She said as my head came through the hole in the shirt, which got my face turning red again. “There’s my blushy little Honey Bun.  For the overalls, I’m going to have you stand up so it can go a little easier.”

Her paw moved around my back to slide me off of the bed, and my feet landed almost perfectly into the leg holes on the overalls that waited on the floor. 

“Like a glove.  Keep your arms up for a minute while I get this finished.”

I followed her directions and stood there while she hoisted the overalls up over my pull-up and tucked in my shirt around it.  Next, I felt the straps come over my shoulders to be secured onto the front of these new pants, and she gave the stuffed flower back to me.   

“And just like that, you’re set to take first place in the ‘most adorable’ category.  Take a look.”

She angled me towards a mirror on the closet door, and in the reflection, I saw a tiny boy, no older than four.  My outfit hid the pull-up, but didn’t do anything else to make me look like I was potty trained, and the sunflower stuffy completed the image of a toddler ready to go get his picture taken.  Just like earlier, I knew that this was where I needed to be, and I kept staring at my reflection until I saw Marge’s face appear next to mine.  In the mirror, I watched her speak,

“Aren’t you the most precious little bunny?  I know that you have your classes, but I think that this is where you belong.  You might be old enough for that next step in life, but that doesn’t mean that you no longer need someone to take care of you.  I want you to know that day or night, my door is open to you.  I will always be there for you if you need me.”

As I heard her words, I felt my emotions to start to rise again.  She wants me here.  She wants me to be her little boy.  But would it work out?

“But what about the daycare?  What about Randy?”

“If there are other kiddos here, then you can be one of them.  If Randy is here, then I know that he would just love to have a little brother.  And if it’s just me, then you get to be the one baby boy in my life, and I’ll feed you, dress you, change you, and do anything to guarantee that you stay my happy little Honey Bun.”  
 
By the time she finished speaking, I had broken out in tears, and she pulled me into her chest.  Not another word was said while I cried myself out within her soft embrace, and Marge alternated between rubbing and patting my back.  Finally she started consoling me with,

“There, there.  I’ve got you.  I’m here.” which seem to continue on repeat for a long time until I had finally settled down.

When I was finished crying, I wiped my eyes and saw that I was back in Marge’s lap as she sat on the floor.  This was getting to be a familiar perspective, and I looked up at her while she continued, 

“If you want, you can always by my special little Honey Bun, and I will always be here for you.  We can talk about that whenever you would like, but for now, are you getting hungry?”

While she asked that last question, her paw landed on my tummy and delivered a flurry of tickles which drove me into a fit of laughter.  She didn’t let up until I kicked, squealed, and giggled in her arms, and when I could catch my breath, I answered,

“Yes, I’m a little hungry.”

“Of course you are.  Now, what do you think about pancakes for breakfast?”

“I think that pancakes would be delicious.”

“All right, let’s go then.  I’ll drop you off in the living room for some cartoons, and I’ll make some food for your belly.  I’ll even let you practice walking over there, but hold my paw.”

She lifted me off of her lap, put me on my feet, and then took up one of my paws with hers before leading me towards the living room.  As I stepped along side her with my short legs, I knew that Marge was right.  This is where I belong.  I’m so little in such a big world, and I can go to my classes during the day if I want, but her care and her love is what I need, and I will be coming back here for bubble baths and bedtime stories as often as I can.