The Error, by LittleMatt

Chapter 7
Chapter 7

Chapter Description: By LittleMatt

Chapter 7

When they returned home they both went straight to Tom’s room to get him into his training pants. After being helped out of his pants Tom quickly grabbed a Pull-Up from the open bag. He was in no hurry to start wearing them but he at least wanted the dignity of putting them on himself.  He looked at the brightly colored thing he held in his hands and a bevy of cartoon characters smiled eagerly back at him. He didn’t recognize any of them but they were clearly meant to appeal to preschoolers.

“The little stripe goes in back.” His mother helpfully  pointed out.

Seeing no reason to delay further Tom pulled his brand new pants into place. They weren’t like real underwear the way the ads said. They were obviously thicker. Tom tried to reassure himself that this wasn’t a diaper, but he knew it was close.

His mother held out his pants for him to step into. “Now I’m not going to help you with this anymore except for getting you dressed. You’ll learn how to do it yourself, you just need to try. And if you have an accident just let me or the school nurse know and we’ll help you get into a new Pull-Up. OK?”

Tom couldn’t believe the words he was hearing. It was his Pull-Up and he was going to need help from grown ups changing into a new one. He could only nod his acquiescence.

“Good boy. Now go watch TV and I’ll get dinner ready” giving him a pat on the bottom.

As dinner approached his bladder began to strain. He’d made a few attempts at the button but quit in frustration. Now the need was getting dire. He walked to the bathroom, every step felt like it could shake loose the flood gates. He struggled again, twisting and pulling at the strange device. But control slipped away from him. This time there were no wet pants, just the damp heaviness of his training pants.

“Tommy, dinner’s ready!” He no longer took note of the name. How could he tell his mother he’d wet his Pull-Up after just a few hours of having it on?

He crept into the kitchen still unsure what to say.

“Hey honey. How’s your Pull-Up doing?” she asked with an unnerving amount of casual directness.

“Oh... It’s still fine.” Tom said looking down.

“Are you sure” she said trying to catch his gaze.

“Yea...Yeah”

She crossed her arms and looked him directly in the eyes “Do I have to check?”

“Alright, I sort of had an accident.”

“I thought so. Let’s go get you into a dry one.” She began to lead him back to his room. “You need to tell me if you have an accident. You could get a rash if you don’t get changed soon enough.”

Once in his room he was relieved of his shoes and pants. “Dry as a bone” his mother commented as she quickly inspected his pants. “Looks like we won’t have to worry about leaks.” Tom started to remove his Pull-Up. “Oh honey let me get that, you don’t know where to put it” she lowered the sodden thing and helped him step out of it before tossing it in a pail that had taken up residence near his bed. “I’m sorry sweety, I forgot to buy wipes hold on a sec’. She left for the bathroom and returned with a wet cloth in hand.

“Mom, please let me do this” he pleaded.

She thought for a moment and handed him the cloth. “OK, but if I notice you aren’t cleaning up well enough I’m going to do it myself.”

Tom breathed a sigh of relief and washed himself as thoroughly as he could manage before stepping into a new Pull-Up and getting dressed again.  He went downstairs again for dinner and tried to content himself with this one measure of maturity he was still allowed.

Eventually his bedtime came and all he could think about was getting out of his new juvenile underpants. He rushed to remove the Pull-Up on his own as his mother dropped his clothes in the hamper. “Is that dry ?” she asked as he walked over to the pail.

“Yes, it’s totally dry” he said.

She leaned over and took it from his hand. “Just let me see” she said gently but with a pronounced sense of maternal authority as she took it from his hand. “Yep, dry as can be. Good job” she said as she deposited in the pail. “Why don’t you try to go use the potty before bed, OK?”

“But mom, I don’t need to. And would you stop saying potty. Just cause I’ve had a few accidents cause of these stupid buttons...”

She raised an eyebrow and Tom relented. Without any impediments he was able to handle his business on his own for once. When he came back he found his mom holding another Pull-Up.

“Mom, I don’t need one of those. I don’t wet the bed. I just have accidents sometimes.”

“I want you to wear one at night for a while just in case. Especially if you’re going to be so unwilling to use the potty before bed.”

Tom moaned again and slid himself into his nighttime Pull-Up and got into his PJs.. He was tucked into bed with a good night kiss and drifted off to sleep.