“Why are we at a daycare?” Kaitlin asked. Anna pulled into a parking spot and turned off the car.
“Well, you two might be kids right now, but I’m an adult, and I have a job to do. You know how the vacation days system is at work. I can’t just call the day of to get it off.”
“But the offith hath a daycare,” Kaitlin protested.
“Do you really want the nice girls at the office to be watching you all day?” Anna asked.
“I don’t mind.”
“I think Laura might.” Anna looked at Laura in the rearview mirror. “Laura, do you want your coworkers to see you in a poopy diaper?”
“No!” Laura wailed, tears springing to her eyes at the thought. Anna nodded.
“That’s what I thought. Don’t worry, this place is great. It’s where I take my nieces when they visit and I can’t get the day off work.”
“You have nietheth?” Kaitlin asked. Anna got out of the car and opened the side door to remove Laura.
“Yes. Why did you think I had all those little girl supplies? I don’t have kids of my own.” Anna unbuckled Laura and settled her into her arms. “Hand me the diaper bag.” Kaitlin did as she was told, then got out. “One of the nice things about this daycare is that they won’t separate you based on potty training.”
“Theparate?” Kaitlin asked.
“The office daycare has three different rooms. One for kids who haven’t started potty training, one for kids who have, and one for kids who have finished potty training. If I brought you girls there, you wouldn’t be able to spend the day together.”
“No want,” Laura mumbled. “No sep- sep- sep’rate.” She fumbled over the multiple syllable word.
“But while you girls are here, you need to act your current ages, okay?” Anna instructed. “No one should think you two are anything other than a regular toddler and five-year-old.”
“Laura already thtinkth like a toddler,” Kaitlin mumbled. Laura let out a sob muffled by her pacifier. Anna frowned at Kaitlin.
“Be nice. She can’t help it. If you were this small, you’d lose your potty training, too.” Anna adjusted her hold on Laura. “I don’t just expect you to act your current ages, I want you on your best behavior, too. Just let the day go by without incident, and when I’m done with work, I’ll pick you up and we can go to the mall to look for the dice. Got it?” Laura and Kaitlin nodded. “Good.” They walked into the building.
“Hello, welcome to Sunny Hills Daycare!” chirped the employee at the desk. “Oh, Ms. Chen! Who are these two cuties?”
“I’ve told you a million times, Linda, call me Anna. I’m actually fostering these little girls. The stinky one I’m holding is Lauren and her big sister is Katie.”
“You’re fostering? That’s so kind of you. You’re here to drop them off for the day, then?”
“Yes,” Anna said. Linda came from around the desk and took Laura from Anna. “Lauren here is too young to start potty training, so I brought all the supplies I thought you might need.” She handed the diaper bag to Linda.
“I can tell that she hasn’t started yet. Smells like someone had an oopsie on the way here,” Linda said.
“I poopoo,” Laura mumbled, remembering what Anna said about acting her current age.
“You sure did,” Linda cooed. She held out her hand. “Come with me, Katie, let’s get your sister changed and the two of you settled in.” Kaitlin reluctantly took Linda’s hand and went with her into the main part of the daycare. She looked back, but Anna was already gone.