“Aw, your daughter is so cute!” The high-pitched voice so close to Leah jolts her awake. She opens her eyes blearily. When she had fallen asleep, she was in a stroller. Now, she appears to be in a restaurant. To her horror, she slowly realizes that she’s not just in a restaurant. She’s in a highchair, too.
“Thanks,” Tina says to the teenage girl who had commented on Leah.
“I’ve never seen a baby her age in such grownup clothes.”
“She refuses to wear regular baby clothes,” Tina laughs. The teenage girl laughs as well, then leaves. Tina looks at Leah. “You’re awake.”
“And in a highchair,” Leah growls.
“Look, you were still asleep when we got here, and the only chair you wouldn’t fall out of was a highchair. You still pass as a baby because of that diaper, don’t worry.”
“I don’t want to pass as a baby!”
“You want people to know you’re a teenager in a diaper and highchair?” Tina asks. Leah opens her mouth and closes it a few times. “That’s what I thought. Now, I can’t order you any food, but I’ve got a nice bottle for you.” Tina pulls a baby bottle out of her purse.
“I’m not going to drink from a baby bottle,” Leah says. Her stomach growls. Tina raises her eyebrows. “…Fine.” Leah takes the bottle from Tina. A waitress comes over with a plate of food for Tina. Leah quickly pops the bottle into her mouth and begins to drink from it, hoping it will reduce suspicion from the waitress.
“Aw, she woke up,” the waitress comments. “What an adorable little girl.”
“Thank you,” Tina says. Leah finishes her bottle while Tina eats. Once they’re both done, Tina removes Leah from the highchair and puts her over one shoulder. “Time to burp you, baby girl.”
“What?”
“Play along,” Tina hisses. “Someone your age needs it.”
“I’m fifteen,” Leah says. Any further protests are cut off by Tina gently patting her back. To Leah’s surprise, a series of burps come out.
“Good girl!”
“Uh, Tina, by the way, what was in the bottle you gave me?” Leah asks during a pause of the burping session. Tina chuckles. When Leah hears the response, her stomach churns, and she involuntarily spits up on the burping rag Tina threw over her shoulder.
The bottle had…