“Sorry, Mike,” Stacy says, buckling Mike back into his car seat. She pops Mike’s pacifier back into his mouth. “We’ll do our best to make this fast, okay?”
“And if you behave, we’ll get you a treat,” Jim adds. He and Stacy get back in the car, and the three head back out into the world. Mike does his best to sulk as they drive for the store, but can’t help but be soothed by his pacifier. By the time they arrive at the store, he’s gotten so relaxed that he’s peed his diaper without realizing it.
“All right, in and out, five minutes,” Stacy says, getting out of the car. Jim gets out as well and grabs Mike, then carries him in. Mike’s hopes that this trip really will be five minutes are dashed when Jim gets a shopping cart.
“In the seat,” Jim says playfully, putting Mike in the shopping cart’s seat. He buckles Mike in. “Let’s get you that medicine to make your tum-tum not hurt.” Jim pushes the shopping cart down the aisles, Stacy walking alongside. They make a beeline for the pharmacy. To Mike’s horror, Stacy flags down the pharmacist for help.
“Hi, Mikey here is a bit constipated,” she says, nodding at Mike in the cart. “What would work best for a little guy like him?”
“Hmm…” The pharmacist looks at the shelves. “You can give him a liquid laxative, it works pretty well, but most toddlers can’t finish their dose because of the taste. There’s a powder that you can mix in with his milk, it takes a bit longer to work and doesn’t work quite as well, but doesn’t have a taste. And the most effective one is a suppository. It works right away and really clears him out, but, well, it can be difficult to give.”
“Thank you,” Stacy says. The pharmacist leaves. Stacy looks at Jim. “What do you think?”
“Probably the powder,” Jim says. “He’s been through a lot today, it would be mean to give him a suppository. And I don’t want to risk him not finishing the liquid dose because of the taste.” Mike crosses his arms, pouting over the fact that he’s not being consulted.
“Then we’ll get the powder. And while we’re here, we might as well get some more supplies for him,” Stacy says.
“That’s why I got the cart,” Jim replies. Stacy puts the powder laxative in the cart. Jim ruffles Mike’s hair. “The bright side of you coming with is that you can choose what things we get you.”
“Within reason,” Stacy says. Jim nods.
“Within reason. But first, we should get you your special treat for coming with us and being so well-behaved. What do you want?”
Mike suckles happily on his pacifier and thinks.