Chapter 1
Nappy Halloween The whole thing
Chapter Description: Serves her right? Maybe.
"For goodness sake Jack, you’re getting all bent out of shape over nothing." Claire shouted, throwing her arms up in the air then folding them defensively across her ample chest. Her husband was being ridiculous and he knew it. The couple always argued when then had to go see her mother. He hated her mother, Claire wasn’t particularly fond of her either but that wasn’t the point.
"I just don’t see why we have to go there EVERY Halloween Claire! Seriously, I know she’s your mother but can’t we just make our excuses just for one year."
Claire stared out of the car window, her thoughts; an angry jumble. She didn’t like her mother any more than Jack did, but she was a dutiful daughter and they only ever really visited on Halloween, once a year wasn’t exactly a hardship. She blew some of her long blonde hair out of her brown eyes, brushing her golden locks from her shoulders as she looked over at Jack who was concentrating on driving down the winding country lane.
"Look we’ll go. We’ll have dinner. Then we’ll leave early. Just like we did last year. Mom really loves Halloween you know her and Linda have always been into that wiccan mumbo jumbo, , and she loves getting the whole family together just for one meal. We can pretend just for an afternoon that we’re one big happy family"
"All of us? Your sister is coming with her kids?" The irritated tone in Jack’s voice really annoyed Claire.
"Yes Jack. ALL THE FAMILY" Her voice rose in anger and she saw Jack go red in the face as he held back his anger and bit his tongue. Claire’s younger sister Linda had always been her mother’s favourite. There was more than healthy rivalry between the two grown daughters , it was practically bordering on hate. Linda had only rocketed to favouritism after the birth of her first child, and the younger sister had sealed the deal with the birth of her second child. Linda thought that Claire was a stuck up immature snob, and Claire thought Linda was an interfering old busy body. It wasn’t Claire’s fault that Claire had moved out of the state in order to pursue her career. Linda only lived a couple of blocks away from mom, so it was no wonder her sister was growing up to be a cloned version of their mother. As the years had progressed Linda and mom had grown ever increasingly more close, sharing interests in herbal remedies and being at one with the planet. Or as Claire liked to refer to it: Hippy shit. Leaving Claire on the outskirts. Not that Claire cared. She had better things to do than worry about her lack of being molly coddled. She only really had loved her father and when he had died three years previously, Claire had found more and more excuses not to visit her family. She was thankful for the distance between her and them. She enjoyed her city life and felt resentment that she had to come back to this lazy little backwater village at all.
The couple rode in silence for a while, both of them running through possible scenarios that they would have to endure once they arrived at Claire’s mother’s house. The fake grins, the idle chit chat. Linda’s two kid’s now aged five and seven, winding each other up, getting increasingly more hyperactive as they consumed vast quantities of Halloween sweeties The day was going to be a long one. It was Jack that broke the silence. His dark green eyes flashed at Claire for a second before returning his attention to the road.
"I swear though, if your mother so much as mentions children. Even just once. Then we’re leaving."
Claire didn’t argue with this, she studied her well manicured fingernails and simply nodded. The two of them had been married almost 7 years now and despite them trying to conceive they had not been successful. As it turned out Claire had gone to her medical consultant and discovered that she was incapable of conceiving. This had been a real strain on their marital relationship. She knew Jack wanted children badly, and whilst she had told her mother several times that it was impossible for her to bear children, her mother insisted on buying her baby outfits for when the grand child eventually arrived and she insisted on hinting at every possible chance that she expected grand children from Claire. It hurt Claire. It cut her deep. She felt as if it was her fault.
The Black Audi pulled into her Mother’s street. White picket fences lined the well maintained gardens of the well kept houses.
"Your mother has more money than sense these days. A house that big for one old woman. It must get pretty draughty"
Claire let her husband’s words wash over her. She had tried to convince her mom to move once dad had died, but she wouldn’t hear anything of it. With Linda only a couple of streets away, her mom said it was convenient to have such a large house in order to look after the two grand children. Her mom was stubborn. It was a trait they both had in common.
Linda’s red car wasn’t in the driveway as they pulled up and Jack put the handbrake on.
"Looks like your sister is late." Jack spoke solemnly. Claire nodded as she stepped from the car, grabbed her bag and slammed the door shut. Walking up the gravelled driveway she gave a quick rap on the front door with her knuckles and without waiting for an answer she pulled the door handle. The front door opened. Her mom never locked it. Where Claire lived, back in the city, an unlocked door would just be asking for trouble, but this quiet little hamlet out in the back of beyond was different. Claire wouldn’t be surprised if she went and checked all the houses on the street to find them all in a similar unlocked state.
"Yo! MOM! We’re here!" She yelled out as she stood in the hallway. She noticed the walls had all been painted a magnolia colour. Last time Claire had been here the walls had been covered in pictures of the family all at different points of growing up and in different holiday locations, but the pictures were all gone now. The hallway smelled fresh. She guessed mom must be in one of her home improvement phases. Still, the house looked better for the lack of clutter.
"MOM?" She yelled again after waiting for a response.
"Coming coming dear. Wait one second!" Came the muffled response further inside the house. Jack came up behind Claire in the doorway and Claire side stepped to let him enter into the hallway just as her mother came into view. Claire gasped.
The old woman beamed happily at the dumbstruck couple that stood in stunned silence.
"Do you like it?" She asked as she twirled.
Claire didn’t know what to say, she was amazed as she stepped closer to her mom. The last time she remembered seeing her mom had been last year at Halloween. The 62 year old woman had had shoulder length grey hair, and her green eyes had looked tired. She often wore long flowing floral skirts and blouses. The woman stood before Claire looked nothing like her mom had done. Short cropped hair, still grey at the temples but for the most part dyed an very dark brown colour, emerald green eyes sparkled with a mischievous glint. She wore dark coloured jeans and a long sleeved grey turtle neck sweater.
"Well?" The woman put her hands on her hips an indication of her impatience. Claire stuttered into life.
"Mom. You look....WOW. Seriously, what a make over. How much did that cost? Have you had botox?" Claire took a few steps closer to her mom and gently drew one of her fingers down her mothers cheek. The wrinkles were still there but they were not so pronounced.
"You look...ten years younger, at least! Mrs Fletcher" Jack said with awe in his voice. Claire’s mom giggled.
"Jack I’ve told you before, it’s Marline, please this Mrs Fletcher thing just makes me feel old." She turned her back on her two guests and walked down the hallway, she spoke as she walked.
"Follow me you two, into the dining room where we can sit and I can tell you all about my secret, I already poured you some tea" With her back to her daughter and son-in-law neither one of them saw the smirk that played across the host’s lips as she stepped into the dining room.
The two followed her. If Claire hadn’t been so dumbfounded by her mothers transformation, she might have noticed the thin neat line of salt that travelled the breadth of the windowsill in the dining room. If Jack hadn’t been pondering the questions of Marline’s new found youth, he might have noticed that that same line of salt continued all the way around the room making a complete circle. Neither one of them noticed though, and they both stepped into the room.
"Jack. That’s your tea there. Claire that’s yours." Marline said as she pointed to two separate seats around the table. The whole room was decorated in a Halloween theme. A large carved pumpkin sat centre place at the round table, there were orange and black streamers and balloons dotted around the room and the plates had black cats on them. Claire noticed a small orange baby’s sleeper suit, folded on the table. She realised it was a pumpkin outfit and she suppressed the urge to look to the ceiling in despair. Another outfit to add to the collection of outfits for the child she would never bear.
"You’ve gone overboard this year mom" Claire raised her eyebrows at all the junk as she sat down at the table and picked up the welcoming warm mug of tea and taking a sip. It tasted a little like lemon, probably one of mom’s herbal tea’s that she was so inclined to dabble in making. Marline was already sat down and she watched the couple for a moment, her chin resting on her hands, a smile playing on her lips. She ignored Claire’s statement. Her green eyes studied Claire as she sipped at the tea.
"You look nice dear. But I was expecting you to come in fancy dress."
Claire looked down at the white dress she wore, it had small cotton flowers embroidered into it. It was very feminine and cost a lot at one of her favourite boutiques. She never came in fancy dress, despite every year her mother insisting.
"Mom. Sorry it totally slipped my mind" Claire lied easily as she brushed some of her blonde hair from her shoulders trying to show off the designer Armani bracelet and necklace that she wore to compliment the dress, but her mom failed to pick up on the expensive jewellery. instead the older woman sighed and shrugged her shoulders.
"It doesn’t really matter, fancy dress or not, I’m just so glad you could come today. You know it means a lot to me. This year especially."
Claire turned her attention to her mother. Why was the older woman being so cryptic? First a newly decorated house, and then what looked like the mother of all body makeovers, now saying random stuff like that?
"What’s so special about this year?" She asked, a hint of caution in her voice, she suddenly felt a little light headed and her brows furrowed. Her mom noticed the sudden change in expression.
"Anything wrong dear?" Her mother asked. Claire could almost swear she heard mockery in her mothers tone of voice.
"I...just have a headache coming on. I guess it must be the smell of the paint fumes. When did you get the house decorated?"
"Your sister and I decorated it over the course of the last month or so. We’ve been getting it ready, baby-proofing and suchlike."
"Baby-proofing? Mother, come on spit it out, well actually I guess it’s obvious now. It’s Linda. She’s pregnant again?" The triumphant look on her mothers face, made Claire instantly aware she was wrong. Marline shook her head.
"Nope. You are close though. You want to guess again or should I just tell you?"
There was a muffled thump from behind Claire and she turned her attention to where her husband sat only to find him face down on the table, sound asleep, His empty teacup lay upturned on the table in front of him.
"Jack?" Claire was confused the journey hadn’t taken that long, only four hours across the state. She looked at her mother, her head felt foggy. She felt her bra strap slip from her shoulder and idly she tugged it back into place only for it to fall from her shoulder again.
"JACK WAKE UP!" Claire barked angrily at her partner, annoyed that he was being rude. When Jack didn’t stir Claire giggled nervously and turned to apologise to her mother only to find her mom with a large grin on her face. Claire didn’t know why, but she couldn’t help but feel like some kind of joke was being played here. Her head felt foggy and she felt sluggish.
"Mom, seriously, can I open a window? The paint fumes are really giving me one hell of a headache."
Her mom nodded.
"Sure dear, go ahead."
Claire stood and immediately her knees buckled and she crumpled to the floor, gasping at such an unexpected turn of events Claire tried to used the table edge to haul herself back up onto her feet but found that she lacked strength to do so. Panic gripped her.
"Mom, call an ambulance. Something is really wrong."
Her mom got up from her seat and walked round the table to where her collapsed daughter sat.
"It’s okay Claire, everything will be fine in five minutes or so" The elder woman brushed some of Claire’s blonde hair out of her eyes.
Claire panicked.
"No mom, you don’t understand I can’t..."
Her mom cut her off.
"I understand perfectly sweetie, here let me help you."
Marline crouched down and put a hand under each of Claire’s armpits and hauled her up into a standing position. Clare felt power return to her limbs and then much to Claire’s horror and confusion she realised quickly that her height had changed. She was now at her mom’s chest height. Whereas before she had been about three inches taller than her mother.
"Mom!" She said with a shaky voice. "Mom? What’s happening?" Her heart pounded in her chest. Claire looked at her smaller hands. They were shaking drastically, but they looked smoother, her French manicured fingernails had receded her hands looked...younger.
"Don’t panic sweetheart, you are just regressing."
Claire’s mouth opened and closed a few times, overwhelmed beyond anything she had ever experienced. She wanted to call her mother a crazy cow, but looking at her hands and height, it was clear that what her mother said was the truth. Claire looked up at her mother for the first time in years.
"...But....How?"
"Magic!" her mother said smugly and she folded her arms across her chest watching her shrinking daughter.
Claire couldn’t help but laugh nervously. "Magic? It...doesn’t..." Her voice trailed off as she crumpled once more to the floor as agony tore through her abdomen. She clutched at her stomach as a wave of nausea swamped her.
"Wha?..." Tears stung her eyes as her vision swam.
"Its okay sweetie it’ll only last a few more moments. You’ll be okay I promise. Mommy will look after you?"
Claire gasped in pain then spoke through her clenched teeth, the agony was evident in her strained speech "...why?"
"Well it’s quite simple sweetie. Last year when you left my Halloween party abruptly without so much as a backwards glance I got really upset. I understand your a career woman and that you have a busy schedule but is it that much of a hardship to spend time with your family? I gave you several opportunities over the year to come spend time with me. I even asked to come visit you, but you snubbed me at every opportunity. Well sweetie. I realise it’s not your fault. It’s mine. I clearly didn’t give you enough attention as a child and you’ve grown distant. Well with your sister’s help i’m going to fix that. You’ll be my sweet little girl all over again."
Claire staggered to her feet, the pain having subsided in her gut. She squealed in dismay when she realised her eye level was now at her mother’s hip height.
"Wats happ’nin" She wailed and clutched at her throat her voice a higher more childish pitch, a lisp evident. She tugged at her hair mortified that her once long golden locks were now shorter by several inches to fall just above shoulder height. Her beautiful white dress was now swamping her. She started to cry. Loud long confused wails.
The dining room door opened and her sister Linda stepped through she called back to her two children. "Now be careful you two remember what Mommy said. Step OVER the white line. Don’t touch it or you’ll break the spell" Rob and Jenny, Linda’s two children entered carefully stepping over the magic circle. Rob was the elder of the two at seven and Jenny was five. Rob was dressed as a skeleton and Jenny was a fairy princess. Jenny tore past her mummy and ran over to where Claire was struggling in her oversized clothing. She shook her fairy wand at the regressing adult and grinned then she looked back at her mummy.
"Mummy, is aunty Claire able to play with us yet?" The childish delight in Jenny’s eyes scared Claire. Jenny didn’t seem at all alarmed that her Aunt had shrunk. If anything from the young girl’s actions and words, it appeared that she was expecting this to happen. Linda chuckled as she walked over to her regressing sister, ushering Jenny out of the way and giving a nod to her mother in apology.
"Sorry i’m late mom. I really wanted to see, this all kick off. Jenny, keep away for the time being. What did I tell you?"
Jenny backed away sheepishly, her head bowed in disappointment.
"That we can’t play with baby Claire until you say so."
Linda nodded "Good girl, that’s right. Your aunty isn’t finished shrinking down yet, she’s going to get cranky before she gets fun to play with. Isn’t that right sis?"
Claire couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Had the world gone mad? She stood there clutching at her ever expanding dress as her younger sister towered over her.
"Surprised sis? Betcha you weren’t expecting this when you walked through the door. Shall I explain? Yes. I think I better. Mom was really upset last year when you left unexpectedly. So I promised her this year I’d make sure you stayed. Did you know i’m a white witch? No. Course you didn’t, even though we are flesh and blood, we are practically strangers, well I AM a white witch. I have been for years. Mom’s known since I was 22. Well i’m 36 now, and what are you? Pushing 40? Either way. My skills are actually pretty decent these days and I made a potion for mom, several potions in fact and one of them, your one to be exact, was an extreme version of a rejuvenation drink"
She crouched down to Claire’s height, Claire just shook her head in denial.
"Magik dun’t esssist." Claire started crying harder as she heard her voice getting more and more babyish. She didn’t want to be a baby. Would it be permanent? How could she convince her sister to make it stop?
"Oh it does exist big sister, well that should probably be baby sister now don’t you think. It exists very much so. How do you think mother has shed a couple of decades from her appearance? How do you explain that you currently look about 4 years old?"
This caused Jenny to jump up and down happily, her little fairy wings bouncing excitedly as she chanted in a sing songy way "Aunty Claire’s younger than me, Aunty Claire is younger than me"
Linda gave Jenny a stern look and Jenny scampered over to her grandma where she was gathered up and settled on her grandma’s lap.
Linda continued the story.
"I told mom I could give her back her youth and she refused at first, saying she didn’t want to, but when I suggested in addition that I could give her back a child to care for, well..."
Marline cut in at this point and she smiled at Claire tenderly, as she rocked Jenny on her lap.
"I jumped at the chance. When your sister told me she could make it so that I could raise you from scratch with my newly found youth...well...To be honest dear. I was never a good mother to you. Your sister did get most of the attention and it was only later in life when I came to reflect on my mothering skills that I realised I left you lacking. You always were a daddy’s girl and I guess I just cut my losses and poured my love into your sister instead. It’s probably my fault as to why these days you seem to care more about yourself than others and why your so self centred and materialistic. I can fix that now. I can give you a better chance at growing up into a nice human being."
Claire was just sobbing now. She was a nice human being wasn’t she? She tottered towards her sleeping husband. Why hadn’t he woken up.
"Jak...Jak...Wake up!" She tugged on his trouser leg whilst still trying to hold onto her dress. He didn’t even murmur. Suddenly she found herself being grabbed by the armpits from behind and hauled into the air, leaving her bra, panties, shoes and dress behind on the floor in a heap. She squealed and kicked and squirmed but the large hands that held her, held her firm. She was naked in the air now and she looked down at her flat chest. Her boobs were gone, her legs as they kicked out in mid air looked podgy and babyish.
"Lemme go, lemme down. JAK! JAAAAK" She couldn’t see who had her, but it had to be Linda.
She heard her younger sister chuckling.
"Jack won’t wake up until your Mommy tells him to." This statement made Claire stiffen in fear.
"Peas. I’ll be gud fom now on. I pom-miss"
This caused Linda to chuckle even more.
"You don’t understand little one. This isn’t up for debate. It’s already been decided and is not actually reversible. But you see your mind is catching up with your age. I don’t know how much longer you have exactly but soon you’ll just simply be a baby. Pure and innocent. Mom will be your Mommy and well, Jack is going to be your daddy. He drank milk of amnesia. When we wake him, we’ll just suggest that Mom is his wife and that you’re his little baby girl and the blanks we can fill in along the way. We will all be one big happy family. It’s going to be great. No more bickering or having you show off in your latest fashion or newest car. You’ll be adorable, you ARE adorable." Linda pinched Claire’s cheek as Claire hung there suspended up in the air by her younger sister.
"Jak? Will be Daddee?" Claire stuck her hand in her mouth absently and started to suck on her fingers, drool running down her podgy little fist. She suddenly realised what she was doing and yelped, dragging her hand out of her mouth as quickly as she was able. She didn’t want her husband babying her.
Marline deposited Jenny from her lap and settled the five year old back down on her feet. Walking over to Linda she took the toddler sized adult from Linda’s hands.
"I think you’re probably as small as you’re going to get now. I forgot just how cute you were as a baby. Look"
Marline held Claire up to the dining room mirror hanging on the wall and Claire just burst into a fresh wave of new tears. She looked like a two year old, possibly even younger.
"Nooo." The reflection wailed. She couldn’t believe this was happening. She must be dreaming. Wake up Wake up Wake up. Suddenly there was a pitter pattering noise and Claire heard Linda gasp the laugh. Suddenly Marline moved quickly across the other side of the room and she ducked down to pull a plastic changing mat from under the table dumping the naked shrunken adult on it. Marline grinned down at Claire
"Guess we should have put you in diapers sooner, sweetie. Not to worry, Mommy will clean up the mess" Claire didn’t understand what her mom was talking about but she wasn’t about to let herself be put back into diapers.
It was the blonde seven year old Rob, who had been keeping his distance and been keeping quiet that spoke in a astonished and disgusted voice
"Eeeew she peed on the carpet" Rob giggled through his hands, Jenny started giggling too, copying he older brother.
"Mommy? Is Aunty Claire a baby now? Can we play with her" Jenny was eager to play with her new living dolly.
Linda just shook her head and gave Jenny that stern look that quietened the excitable five year old.
"No Jenny, and she’s not Aunty Claire any more, just Claire or baby, okay" Jenny simply nodded watching.
Marline had gotten a pack of pampers hidden under the table and was opening the pack.
Claire was crying hysterically. She had tried to negotiate but found her words were now coming out as baby babble. "Please don’t" had simply come out as "maaafzzzt" as she blew a raspberry and drooled down her chin. Marline dug around in her pocket and produced an orange pacifier.
"Halloween binkie for baby" She cooed as she stuck the pacifier in Claire’s open mouth. Claire spat it out instantly. Linda giggled and rested her hand on her mom’s shoulder.
"Mom. I have a better idea. Lets get Claire’s new daddy to get her ready shall we?"
Marline stood from the changing mat letting Claire squirm naked onto her front and start to crawl for the dining room door. She watched with delight as her little daughter tried to make her escape.
"That’s a great idea Linda, that way I can clear up the puddle my little Claire made on the carpet." Linda nodded and walked over to Jack. Touching his shoulder she spoke in a monotone voice, very similar to how a hypnotist would talk.
"Jack, you’re about to wake up. Your daughter Claire needs you. Your wife, Marline needs you. You are a wonderful husband and father and you would do anything for your family. Wake up."
Jack sat up and rubbed his eyes.
"Oh hi Linda. I didn’t see you come in. Shall I make some tea?" He smiled warmly. Marline cut in pointing over at Claire who had almost made it to the doorway.
"Actually Jack, can you sort your baby daughter out, and I will go make the tea."
Jack nodded. "Sure thing." He said as he leant over and gave Marline a quick peck on the cheek. She giggled in a delighted school girlish way and bustled off to the kitchen.
Linda watched her mother leave then pointed over to Claire who had made it to the doorway.
"You might need that Jack." Linda laughed as Jack stood and in three strides he was towering over Claire and chuckling.
"Well my little escape artist, where are you off to huh?" He cooed as he effortlessly scooped her up and blew a raspberry on her naked tummy. Despite herself Claire burst into infectious babyish laughter, she felt betrayed by her own reactions and gutted that she hadn’t even made it as far as the hallway. She trembled slightly from the stress of the situation and Jacks happy gaze turned to one of concern.
"Come on pipsqueak lets get you all snug and warm okay?" He carried Claire in one arm whilst stooping to pick up the changing mat off the floor and laying it on the table. Gently he lowered Claire onto it and she tried to flip herself over to crawl away but jack just laughed and flipped her right onto her back again.
"Stay put kiddo, Daddy needs to diaper you and get you dressed or the Halloween party will never begin."
Claire shook her head. "No Jack. I’m not a baby. You’re not my dad!" Claire yelled as baby babble spewed from her mouth. She started to cry again. Linda came over and handed him the orange pumpkin pacifier Claire had rejected earlier. He took it and nodded gratefully at Linda. "Thanks Lin. I was wondering where that had gotten to." He carefully popped it in Claire’s mouth. Claire wanted to spit it out like last time, but this time she started sucking on it. She hushed instantly, feeling confused and frightened, yet oddly soothed by the foreign object in her mouth. Why had she been crying? She tugged absently at her hair as Jack pulled a fresh disposable diaper from the pack of pampers. She saw it and suddenly remembered that she didn’t need diapers. Why was her daddy trying to make her wear them? No. Husband. Jack was her husband. But that was silly wasn’t it? She was only little, husbands were for grown ups. She WAS a grown up. She looked left and right as she squirmed on the cold changing mat. What was going on? What was it that she needed? She felt a little hungry, she felt a little cold, where was her mummy?
She saw two light blue eyes looking at her and she realised Jenny was peeking over the table edge watching. Claire smiled at Jenny and Jenny grinned back, she held up her princess wand and waved it at Claire. Claire was mesmerised by the wand. It looked so pretty and sparkly. It looked good to chew. Her attention was suddenly brought back to Jack when he lifted her tiny legs by her feet and lowered onto the diaper.
Fear and realisation swam back into focus. No. She was an adult, a successful business woman with aspirations and ambitions. She wasn’t a baby. She wasn’t! She kicked and started to fuss but Jack’s duty was almost done as he pulled the thick padding up between Claire’s new baby legs and fastened the side tapes. Claire’s hands instantly went down to the tapes but she found she didn’t have the manual dexterity or strength to undo what had been done. She also realised with increasing horror that she didn’t even know how they came undone. She looked up with tears in her eyes to see her former husband looking down tenderly at her with unconditional love. Her fear vanished and she gurgled, her arms wavering up at him wanting to be picked up and held. She fought the urge. She, had to find a way back. Back to what? Where was her mummy? She suddenly giggled as her Daddy tickled Claire’s exposed feet.
"Right, that’s the furniture safe. Now to get you dressed." Linda stepped in, holding an outfit out to Jack. Linda studied Claire’s face, looking for traces of her adult older sister. Claire knew something was wrong and her eyebrows creased in concentration. She knew it had something to do with Aunty Linda. Aunty Linda had done something very bad.
"Thanks Lin." Jack said as he took the outfit being offered to him. He turned his attention back to his cute baby girl and cooed at her
" I guess this is what your mother wants you dressed in, huh poppet. "
Claire recognised it as the outfit she had seen when she had walked in here half an hour ago but she couldn’t remember what it was supposed to be, she knew it was a costume of some kind.
Jack pulled Claire into a sitting position and pulled the outfit over her head. Laying her down he threaded her flailing arms through the arm holes and did the poppers up at her crotch. He pulled on the two little booties and the final touch was the little green elasticated hat.
"Are you daddy’s little pumpkin? Are you? Who’s a little pumpkin. Yes you are. Yes you are!" He held her up to the mirror like Marline had done before, and Claire could see she did indeed look like a Halloween pumpkin, the word she had been searching for falling into place as she looked at her ridiculous Halloween outfit. The pumpkin face smiling at her from her belly. The little green stalk for a hat made her look all the more ridiculous. Yet she didn’t cry. The soother in her mouth solved that problem and she quietly sucked as she stared wide eyed at her new reflection. She pointed at it with one podgy hard. She daddy smiled then tickled her tummy repeatedly, much to the squealed delight of Claire who squirmed and giggled and flailed around helplessly under her daddy’s attention. Linda was chuckling as well and she stepped in closer.
"Can I hold her?" She asked tentatively, a coy smile on her face.
"Sure." Jack grinned as he handed the baby over to Linda who carefully cradled Claire in the crook of her arm. She looked down at the baby and then smiled up at Jack.
"Hey, why don’t you go check on Marline See if she needs a hand."
Jack nodded a little flustered that he hadn’t thought of that himself. "Yeah. Good idea. Will be right back." he ruffled Rob’s hair as he passed the small boy and left the room.
Linda held Claire at arms length. Claire began to fuss, she wasn’t sure why she was fussing but she knew it was important to do so. Linda studied the small child "You still in there sis?" She asked seriously. Claire stared back confused. She knew that what Linda spoke were words but she didn’t understand the context. She stared blankly back at the grown up. Still sucking on her pacifier. Linda smiled.
"I guess the remnants of your memories must be pretty minor by now little one. I was going to say I will miss you big sister, but truth of the matter is, I won’t. I’m quite looking forward to watching you grow up all over again. I’ll help wherever I can of course. And mom? Well it’s the happiest I’ve seen her in a long long time. Jack too already seems more content than he ever did when he was with you. It looks like you’ll finally be able to bring some joy into this family without feeling the need to throw your money at it. This has been the first Halloween gathering that hasn’t degenerated into an argument. We might all get along now that your adult self is out of the picture."
Claire still didn’t understand what it was Aunty Linda was saying. She began to squirm wanting her mummy. "MAmamamaaa" she babbled at Linda causing Linda to laugh. "Mommy will be here in a second sweetie. Yes she will. You just hold on okay" Linda cooed babyishly at her regressed sister. Claire noticed the heightened rise in Linda’s voice and she perked up and grinned, kicking her legs out excitedly, babbling even more animatedly in a happy innocent way. All thoughts of her adult existence had now ebbed away on a sea of infantile bliss.
Linda looked down to see Jenny looking up at her expectantly.
"NOW? Mummy can we play?"
Linda looked at the regressed Claire and then back down at her five year old daughter.
"Yes. Now you can play with her but be careful she’s only a baby" She said as she lowered Claire onto the dining room floor as Jenny squealed in delight. Claire giggled as she pulled herself into a crawling position and crawled after Jenny who was waving the her princess wand at her new playmate.
Marline and Jack re-entered the room carrying drinks for everyone and a baby bottle for Claire.
"Right? Shall we get this party started then?" Marline spoke excitedly. "It’s going to be a good one this year. I can tell."
