“This feels weird,” Danny mumbled.
“Well, you better get used to it, bud,” Greg said. He and Danny were walking through the store, headed for the employee daycare. It was Danny’s first day as a daycare attendee, rather than an employee. Danny had been fired two weeks ago, due to failure to perform his responsibilities. He had begun to spend more and more time in the daycare and less and less time actually selling things to customers.
“I don’t like it,” Danny whined.
“Danny, you should be glad that they were willing to let you go to daycare here, where you know people and people know you used to be an adult,” Greg said patiently. “I’m not an employee here, so they didn’t need to let you attend.”
“I guess.” There was a soft hiss from Danny. “I went pee-pee.”
“It sounded like you did. Don’t worry, they can change you in daycare. Or if you’d prefer, I can change you,” Greg suggested. Once Danny was fired, he lost his status as a legal adult. Thankfully, the store was more than happy to help Greg with the paperwork to adopt Danny. Now they didn’t just look like father and son. Legally, they were. Greg’s job had even given him some time off work while he sorted things out with Danny.
“I…want you to change my diapy,” Danny said.
“You got it.” They arrived at the daycare. Greg pushed the door open. Anna, the head worker, swooped in immediately.
“Aw, Danny, we’re so happy to have you back with us! And as a proper daycare attendee, too!” she cooed.
“Do you mind if I change his diaper real quick? He had an accident on the way here,” Greg said. Anna waved a hand airily.
“Go right ahead!”
“Thanks.” Greg picked Danny up and carried him over to the changing table. Danny pouted at him. “It’s gonna be okay, buddy. Here.” Greg popped Danny’s pacifier in his mouth. Danny suckled on it eagerly. “That’s better. Let me change that wet diapy of yours.”
Danny obediently allowed Greg to change his diaper, sucking on his pacifier the entire time. He had only recently become fond of using his pacifier while awake; it took many nights of Greg secretly giving Danny his pacifier for him to want to use it during the day.
“There! All done!” Greg said. He pulled Danny’s pants back up over his diaper. There was still a distinctive bulge that made it clear Danny wasn’t potty trained. “All right, bud, you have a good day!” Danny suddenly lunged forward, giving Greg a tight embrace. “Aw, I’m gonna miss you too. Don’t worry, I’ll be back before you know it.”
“Okay,” Danny mumbled around his pacifier. Greg carried Danny back to Anna and handed him over to her. “Bye, Greg.”
“Goodbye, Danny,” Greg said. He winked at Anna, who winked back. Danny didn’t know it, but Anna was in on Greg’s plan to turn Danny into a proper toddler. Greg left the store, confident that Anna would do what she had promised. She would…