Tina doesn’t really pick up on hints. Leah needs to be blunt with her. And she need to be firm, too. Tina won’t want to enroll Leah in daycare, after all.
“Ready to go home?” Tina asks, coming over. Leah nods and gets to her feet. She follows Tina outside to the car.
“I need the car seat,” Leah says. Tina sighs in relief.
“I’m glad you came to the conclusion on your own. I was worried you’d try to fight it, but since you’re dressed like a toddler right now, a car seat is the right move.” Tina buckles Leah into the car seat. Once they’re on the road, Leah decides to make her demand.
“Tina, enroll me in daycare,” Leah says firmly. Tina’s eyes shoot open in surprise. “I want to go to daycare, not high school. I’m the right size, and I like it more.”
“You might be the right size, but you’re not the right age. You don’t have any extenuating circumstances that require you to attend daycare.”
“Except that I want to.”
“Leah, where is this coming from?”
“Daycare is better than high school.”
“I don’t care if you think it’s better than high school, you’re not dropping out to be in a diaper and play with toys all day!” Tina snaps. Leah smirks. Looking at her reflection in the rearview mirror, Tina frowns. “What’s that look for?”
“You make a good point. Daycare is for kids who aren’t potty trained. Like me.”
“What do you mean? You’re potty trained.”
“Really?” Leah lets out a loud fart. She pushes a mushy, stinky mess into her training pants. “The poop in my pull-up says otherwise.”
“Leah!”
“So does the pee,” Leah says, wetting herself. Tina glares at her. “Looks like I need diapers. But I don’t know how to change myself. Someone else will have to change me.”
“You’re going to mess and wet yourself just so you can go to daycare?” Tina asks. Leah nods smugly. “Hmph.”
The rest of the ride continues in silence, though the smell from Leah’s pull-up gets progressively worse. When they pull up at home, Tina turns around to look at Leah.
“You’re going to get what you want. I’m putting you in diapers until this rebellious streak ends.”
“What about school?” Leah asks. Suddenly, she’s nervous that she went in too forcefully. Tina might reject the daycare request because of how hard she pushed for it.