Leah felt her stomach rumble. She was suddenly overcome with intense hunger. Her infantile lack of control over her emotions and actions made her suddenly burst into tears.
“Aw, someone sounds upset,” one of the moms nearby said. “Who is that?”
“Oh, this lovely little girl?” Gina asked, removing Leah from the playpen. “This is Ivy. I’m fostering her for a while.”
“How long?” another mom asked.
“However long the people running things want me to,” Gina replied. She squeezed Leah’s diaper. “Hmm, it doesn’t seem like you need a change.” Leah continued to wail. “What’s the problem, honey?”
“Ba-ba,” Leah managed. She couldn’t put together proper words of any sort, but hopefully this very juvenile plea for a bottle would get her point across. Luckily, it did.
“Aw, Ivy’s hungry!” Gina cooed. She gently placed Leah on her lap and began to dig through the diaper bag by her chair. “Ah-ha! Here we go!” Gina then pulled out a piece of fabric. Leah frowned, confused. How would this help feed her? She was starving to death, she couldn’t wait much longer, she just knew it!
“That’s a cute cover,” one of the moms said. Gina fasted the fabric around her neck. It draped over her front like what a hair stylist would put on you at a haircut. Leah still didn’t realize what was going on, even when she heard Gina unbutton her blouse and unfasten her bra. Only when she was brought under the fabric and face-to-face with her friend’s bare breast did it finally dawn on her how Gina planned on resolving her hunger.
“Drink up, Ivy,” Gina cooed. She shoved Leah’s face into her breast. Instinctively, Leah latched onto Gina’s nipple and began to suckle. She knew it was wrong, but she couldn’t stop herself. She was so hungry, Gina’s milk was so warm and tasty, and her infantile instincts were screaming at her to breastfeed like there was no tomorrow.
“She’s breastfed?” asked one of the moms.
“Not exclusively. She does eat some baby food, of course. But apparently she never took to formula. That’s part of the reason they placed her with me. Riley’s only four months, so I’m still breastfeeding her, and I make more than enough milk for two babies.” Gina carefully pried Leah loose. Leah fussed loudly until Gina directed her to the other breast. Leah latched back on and resumed guzzling.
Leah closed her eyes, happily drinking her best friend’s breastmilk directly from the source. A spurt of urine entered her diaper, but she didn’t notice. Even if she had, she wouldn’t have cared. Finally, her belly was full and she let go of Gina’s nipple. She closed her eyes, drifting off to sleep.
When Leah awoke, the party was…