Multiple times during that first day of being in a new reality, Laura tries to explain things to Jessica, Alexis, and her former brother now father Dan. But each time she opens her mouth to speak, she can’t muster up the courage.
The afternoon and evening go by quickly. With nothing else to do, Laura plays with Alexis until dinner. When Jessica comes to bring them inside, she checks Laura’s training pants and sighs when she discovers they are wet.
“You’re being much more difficult to potty train than your older sister, Laura.”
“Sorry,” Laura mumbles, blushing. She recalls very well how her parents struggled to get her fully potty trained. She only stopped wetting the bed when she turned seven. Her stomach churns at the realization that she has to go through that again. She’ll be in training pants for three more years.
“Well, you’re not wet enough to need a change just yet. You can wait until your bath.” With that, Jessica brings Laura and Alexis inside. At the dining table, Laura is put into a booster seat. Dan, sitting across from her, smiles at her.
“How was school, girls?” he asks. Alexis hops onto the chair next to Laura.
“Fun!” Alexis chirps. She digs into her dinner. “We went on a field trip!”
“Yes, but apparently, Laura misbehaved,” Jessica informs Dan. Dan frowns at Laura. Laura shrinks back under the disapproving look. “She wanted to play with Alexis instead of the other preschoolers.”
“Honey, you need to play with your classmates,” Dan says gently. “You can’t just play with Alexis all the time.” Laura nods silently. Dan looks at Jessica. “Did she have any accidents?”
“Not at school.”
“Good work, Laura!”
“But when I checked on her just now, she was wet.”
“Oh well,” Dan sighs. “One accident during the day is better than yesterday, though.” Laura nods silently again.
After dinner, Laura is removed from the booster seat and brought to the bathroom, where she is bathed by Jessica. The entire experience humiliates her. After the bath, she is toweled dry, then laid on her back while Jessica tapes a diaper on her.
“No diaper!” Laura begs. Jessica sighs.
“I’m sorry, sweetie, but your nighttime accidents are too big for training pants.”
“But-”
“No buts. Mommy doesn’t want to wash your sheets all the time,” Jessica says firmly.
“Okay,” Laura mumbles. A nightdress is pulled over her head and she is brought to Alexis’ bedroom. Apparently, Alexis now shares the room with Laura. Laura gets into her bed. Alexis comes in shortly, also ready for bed. Jessica reads the two of them a quick bedtime story. Then, Dan comes in, he and Jessica kiss Alexis and Laura good night, and they leave, turning the lights off on their way.
Laura lays awake in the darkness. Jessica and Dan are good parents, but she misses being an adult. Will she really have to grow up all over again? Dread uncurls in her stomach. And if she does have to grow up all over again, will she remember her old life once she’s an adult?
Before Laura can think on it for too long, she falls asleep.