The Error, by LittleMatt

Chapter 11
Chapter 11

Chapter Description: By LittleMatt

Chapter 11

After a second night of teddy inspired dreams Tom woke up wet again, this time protected by his training pants. It became a familiar pattern over the next few days. Tom felt himself slipping further and further towards babyhood and it seemed like he could do nothing about it. One evening he noticed his mother searching the Internet for diaper sizes.

On Wednesday morning Tom walked into his third grade class to find Johnny and some of his classmates discussing a new arcade that had opened not too far from school. Everybody, it seemed, had gotten permission from their parents to go after school.

“Hey Tommy are you coming too?” Johnny asked.

“I don’t know” Tom said hesitantly thinking of being stuck alone in his Pull-Ups.

“Come on, at least ask if you can come.”

A light came on in his head. This was a way to demonstrate maturity. He could just make his way without any grown-ups around and then they’d all know he was really big. No more holding hands, and certainly no more strollers.

He nodded “OK I’ll call her at recess.”

The day’s baffling lessons hardly seemed to matter anymore. His plan was in place. He Johnny, and some other kids would walk a few blocks to the city bus stop, ride just a few stops and visit the arcade.  He could almost hear his mom telling him how wrong she’d been.

At recess he went to the office with Johnny and Kyle in a tow and asked to call his mother at work. 

“Hey mom” he began “Me and some friends want to go to a new arcade after school. Can I go?”

“That sounds like it would take an awful lot of responsibility Tommy. I don’t know if...”

“Please” he begged “I won’t be alone or anything.”

He heard her inhale deeply “OK. But only for an hour, I’ll pick you up there. And you have to stay with you’re friends the entire time. And you absolutely have to go to the nurse before you leave, even if you don’t feel wet I want her to make sure.”

They were restrictive terms but they were more freedom than he’d had in ages. “Thank you mom.” Tom gushed “I promise I’ll do everything you said.”

The rest of the day seemed to glide right by as Tom imagined what other new privileges he’d soon be winning for himself. After the bell rang his group began to make their way to the bus stop. Tom tried to think of an excuse to run to the nurses office but nothing came to mind. He resolved to keep up with his group. He’d only had a small accident, and it was only going to be an hour.

At the stop Tom peered at the vast array of signs, tables, and maps. “Are you guys sure you know where you’re going?” He asked.

“Of course” Kyle replied “We don’t even have to change buses.”

“Yeah, I guess it is pretty simple” Tom said nervously as he resolved to follow his friends as closely as possible.

The bus rolled up and his friends quickly squeezed themselves into the crowded vehicle. Tom searched for a spot but couldn’t even find a place to stand.

“Just get on the next one” Johnny suggested “It’s just a minute. We’ll wait for you.”

Tom gulped and stepped back down to the empty bus stop. He watched his friends wave as the bus thundered off. He looked around and briefly contemplated walking back to school to call his mom again but he wasn’t even sure of the way back. As his panic rose another bus lumbered to a stop. Still feeling lost and confused he climbed on and took a seat. The bus shuddered away from the stop and immediately took an unexpected turn.

After a trip of what seemed like miles Tom got off at the next stop and scrambled to find the bus back. The signs offered nothing but a tangle of arrows, dots, and numbers so he just got on the next bus that seemed to be going the other way. But soon he was riding through completely unfamiliar streets.

His hour of freedom came and went and he was still desperately lost, his bladder bulged again. He no longer cared at all about the arcade he just wanted to be home with his mom. He decided to abandon his attempts at navigation while he searched for a restroom. He found one near the entrance of a park and darted in. He fumbled with his button briefly but soon the familiar sensation of wetness came gushing. His already wet Pull-Up could hold no more and soaked the front of his short pants. He stepped back outside, tears already in his eyes. As the sun began to sink below the horizon he sat down on a lonely bench, put his head in his hands, and cried. 

He heard a car come to a screeching halt and looked up.

“Tommy! I’ve been looking everywhere for you!” He heard his mother exclaim as she ran from her car.

“Mommy!” The word simply burst out of him.

They embraced each other tightly.

“My baby, I was so worried. Nurse Carlson called to say you hadn’t come by. So I went to the arcade and couldn’t find you. I’m just happy you’re OK.”

“I’m sorry mommy” the word came out again through heaving sobs “Please don’t be mad.”

“I’m not mad baby, I shouldn’t have let you have so much responsibility. You should have gone to see Nurse Carlson before you left but” she looked at the wet spot running down his school uniform “That really doesn’t matter now.” She sat down on the bench and patted the spot next to her “There’s a few things I want to explain to you.”

Tom sat warily down next to her as she put an arm around him. “Tommy, I know you’ve been trying very hard but I don’t think you’re ready for your school yet.” anticipating a protest she put a finger to is mouth “Now just listen. Mrs. Taylor says you’re still having trouble with your lessons and she thinks your friends are helping you with your quizzes.”

Tom looked down. She’d seen right through it all along.

“From now on” She continued “You can just stay at Kiddie Town until I come pick you up. They have lots of toys like your bear and the teachers there can you learn some of the same things.”

“You mean you’re sending me to preschool?” Tom gasped.

“Tommy, be honest. Do you really think you can keep up with everything your third grade friends are doing?”

Tom thought about the days events and about how he always seemed to be just tagging along. “I guess not” he admitted.

“And there’s one more thing” she said broaching a long unspoken subject “You haven’t been having a lot of luck making it to the potty and I’ve noticed that you’re getting up to go later and later.”

“But I can keep trying” He stammered

She shook her head. “Honey. Training pants are for children who just have accidents sometimes. They’re really hard to change and they’re expensive. Now before I went to look for you at the arcade I went out to the store and when we get home I’m going to put you in a diaper.”

“A diaper?”He looked back down at his leaking pants and his protest softened “Do you really think I need them?”

She hugged him “I’m afraid so honey. Are you going to be a good boy and come with me so we can get you out of those wet things?”

Tom looked down at his wet pants and thought of the trouble his disobedience had caused him. He sniffed and nodded “OK mommy, I’ll be good.”

She smiled at him warmly and gave him a big hug. “Let’s go home.”

After a short drive home Karen walked through the front door with a paper bag full of diapering supplies in her hand and her son following closely behind. “Come on” she said as she led him upstairs. She sat the bag down on his bed and went straight to his dresser to retrieve some dry clothes. “Now just sit down and I’ll take care of everything.”

Tom sat on his bed and felt his sodden Pull-Up squish wetly beneath him. He just wanted out of it. His mother sat the clothes down next to him and got a pale green package of diapers from the bag. She opened it and some light babyish aroma wafted though the air. She pulled out a single diaper and sat it in on top of his dry things. Tom studied the baby animals designs playing across its front, he never thought his Pull-Ups would seem so grown up. A bottle of baby powder was placed next to it.

She undid his suspenders, lifted his shirt over his head, and instructed him to lie back. She slid off his shorts and tossed everything in the hamper. Finally she removed his Pull-Up and disposed of it with a thud in the bin.

She took a few wipes and made very sure he was all clean before cracking open the bottle of baby powder. Tom just watched, he was amazed at how much quicker and efficient the process seemed now that his mom was handling it all. She spread a thin layer of baby powder all over him and finally picked up and unfolded the diaper. “Just lift up a bit baby.” She slid it under his bottom, made a few quick adjustments, and taped it snugly into place.

She started grabbing his new clothes. “Now I don’t expect you to try to get to the potty anymore, but if you know you’re wet you should let me know right away.”

He nodded. At least in resigning himself to this he’d be relieved of a cumbersome and frustrating responsibility.

They both went down stairs and had dinner. Afterward they sat together on the couch and watched TV. He was home, he was safe, and the things he could no longer look after himself were being tended to. It was hard to understand why he’d fallen into this role so easily. He could only wonder what lay ahead. As he pondered these thoughts the weariness of the day began to creep in and he fell asleep on the couch beside his loving mother.