Drool was dripping out of the side of Leah’s mouth as she awoke in the morning. She felt it all over her left hand that sat under her face. She moved to wipe her mouth and immediately was met with the mouth guard of her binkie.
My paci. Oops. She was gripped by fear, she needed to hide it before he step mommy notice. Pulling it from her mouth as she sat up she realized yet another problem. “Eek.” Quickly she jumped out of bed and stuffed her binkie under her bed just in time.
What’s wrong dear. Tina asked as she entered the room to find Leah standing next to her bed.
Leah had a very guilty look on her face, but that was not all.
“My goodness, dear you are soaked.”
Leah didn’t know what to do, she had wet her bed, she had been nursing her pacifier. What did Tina see? Something primal in her just pushed forward and all she could do was try to get a grip on the moment, but it was just too much for her. She stood there and just cried and soon she was just hysterical.
“Oh poor baby.” Tina kneeled down to her level and consoled the poor child.
After a while Leah was still inconsolable, but Tina was getting uncomfortable with her stance. Tina picked up Leah, and while the poor child continued to cry, removed her wet clothing and wrapped her in a blanket. Then sat holding Leah in her arms.
It had to have been close to 20 minutes before Leah had settled down. Tina began to talk. “I’m so sorry sweaty, I know that must be so upsetting.”
Leah just lay there quietly. The tip of her thumb seemed to have made it to her mouth and she seemed to be licking it.
Tina smiled at the sight.
The small teen could certainly use bathing. “How about you hop in a shower or a bath?”
Leah didn’t seem to respond.
“How about I draw you a nice warm bath and you can relax for a moment.”
Leah was catatonic. Tina couldn’t believe how much day could pass for a teen before they would get going. Here it was almost noon and she was only now barely getting out of bed. That was a good 14 or 15 hours of sleep, and yet here she was still lazing around.
Tina put Leah on the chair still wrapped in a blanket and got her a glass of water. Yet again it was laced with the same diuretic. If her math was correct, this would be the last dose that would be needed for at least a week. It would take a few days for it to have full effect, but then only maintenance would be needed to keep it going.
Tina ran a bath and deposited Leah in it. After a while, Leah could be heard crying yet again from the bathroom.
“What happened?”
“I don’t know. But I lost dif tooooooff.” Leah opened her hand and there was the baby tooth from one of the front two in her mouth.
Tina suppressed a giggle at the little lisp likely caused more from the loss of the tooth than her little gell. “Does it hurt?”
Leah nodded her head.
Tina made a sad face of consolation.
And carried Leah who was wrapped in a towel into the kitchen and iced the gap in Leah’s mouth. “Does that feel better?”
Leah was being babied again, but she didn’t care. She just nodded her head and was happy for the attention.
That day was ticking away. Tina thought. “Hold this dear.” As she directed Leah to hold the ice in place as she carried her to the nursery to dress Leah.
Leah was dressed in some sweat pants and a t-shirt. Not noticing that yet again she had been put in training pants. Tina knew she would need to splatter urine all over herself and her cloths yet again before things could go to the next level. She wondered if she might mess herself today or if it was too soon.
After being dressed Leah was put down on her feet.
“There you go.”
Leah felt very needy. For the first time all day, she was being left on her own and she wasn’t really comfortable. It was almost involuntary, but she found herself starting to whine as Tina was leaving the nursery.
“What is it little girl?”
Leah blushed, realizing how little she was behaving. She looked down at her feet and swayed back and forth and then looked back up and Tina. Still blushing, she didn’t know how to ask, but she needed to feel comforted. One hand held what was left of the ice, while the other did all the asking. It reach up much like a toddler might ask to be picked up, as she grunted a little to complete the ask.
“Of course mommy will pick you up.”
It was both cute and entertaining that this 15 year old was behaving like one of her toddlers.
Tina was sure the events of the past couple of days were doing a number on this teen. Unfortunately, it was also time to address other matters. Ones that Leah needed to be aware of.
Tina gathered the mail that needed to be tended to and sat with Leah in a comfortable chair in the living room.
I know you must have had a difficult time these past couple of days, but apparently we have a few more issues to address before school is settled.
Tina read to Leah from the Letter from the school district:
“At the start of school Report to Ms Preston-Martin K3M in Room 103.”
“That’s what it directs you to do” Tina said, waiting for Leah to understand what all of that meant.
“Where my fedule? What dis?” Leah just let it sink in for a moment then realized.
Tina noticed the moment of realization. “Yep. There has been a mistake. Did you submit the transfer transcript request to your last school last June?”
“Of course” Leah actually left the form in an envelope on the desk in the admin office since no one was there, figuring it would be fine.
“Well. Something didn’t work. They signed you up for Kindergarten, just like you were a new student who had never been to their school.”
Leah was a bit embarrassed, thinking she might have screwed up the transcript request. Oh well it will sort itself out soon enough. She thought. She exhausted and didn’t want to deal with any of this at the moment. It was too much for today. She just wanted to lay her and be comforted just as she was. That thumb of hers was making its was back to her mouth again.
Tina was a bit surprised that Leah wasn’t a bit more concerned about school, but after her poor performance in 9th grade, it was no wonder she was less concerned about her transcripts making it over. It was just like her to leave her mess for someone else to clean up. “Hee Hee” Tina couldn’t stop herself as she realize her inadvertent double entendre.
Tina needed to clean up the wet bed in Leah’s room she had neglected it long enough.
Flipping the mattress, Tina found the poorly concealed pacifier. The mattress was soaked all the way through and needed to be propped up to dry. There was no way she would be able to sleep in in this evening.
At the moment, Tina needed a break from Leah. She knew she would still need to tend to her, but not holding her for a while would help. She thought to tidy up the nursery and readied it up for Leah for the night, even to pull out a few stuffies for her to hold.
Instead, Tina marveled at how quickly Leah embraced the role of a toddler. The failing potty training didn’t seem to be critical, only just a component. Tina pulled out the video of Alice bottle feeding Leah yesterday. It was incredible to see her nursing. Usually by 3 a kid will give that up. She’s like 12 year’s overdue. Maybe she’s just a repressed baby who really needs a mommy in her life.
Returning to the living room, Leah was curled up in a fetal position sucking her thumb and humming. Awake, but with her eyes closed and resting.
Tina passed her by and thought about that video she just watched. Returning to Leah a few moments later.