Eager Beaver

Chapter Fifty - Dad and Cooper

"Santa!" Laurie practically screamed. He was bouncing up and down while still holding my hand. He pulled me forward to Santa's lap, raising both his hands and one of mine up expectantly - wanting up.

I pulled my hand sharply away from his. I couldn't sit on Dad's lap. He would know I was wearing a diaper. He would ask questions, and I didn't know how I would explain it. I stood there nervously playing with my hands. "Laurie I-" I tried to tell him, but Dad interrupted me.

"Well hello there Cooper and Laurie!" Dad bellowed in his jolly Santa voice.

I stood firm, frowning down stubbornly at the ground and looking like a pouty toddler. I wasn't going to sit on Dad's lap. No way. I stared at him sullenly. I knew he could tell that I knew it was him. He just gave a confidential smirk and put a finger to his lips, pointing at Laurie. The little boy was grinning and giggling at my Dad as happy as a clam. He clearly thought it was the real Santa.

"He knows our names Cooper!" Laurie squealed in delight. His fists were actually shaking in delight.

Dad had finally gotten impatient. He reached down and I shuffled back shyly, but he caught me under my armpits all the same and hoisted me up as if I weighed less than a feather. I felt my stomach drop as my feet left the ground. "Up you come little reindeer." He said in his oh so friendly tone. He placed me on his knee, and I could tell right away that he thought something was off. I froze in my spot, looking away ashamedly. If I fidgeted even a little I was certain he would hear the diaper.

Having clambered up on his own accord, Laurie was in another world. Sitting on Dad's other leg across from me, our feet were dangling in between Dad's knees. I held one foot statue still behind the other while Laurie was merrily swinging his feet. "For Christmas I want a Buddy Bear!" He enthused. "And some Lego, and some pencil crayons - the nice ones - and a new bike! Zach's old one is too big, and mine is too small! Speaking of Zach, he probably wants another Sylvanian family even though he won't admit it. It's also my birthday on Christmas, so can I get twice as many presents?" Laurie took in a deep breath after listing all the gifts he wanted. His face was a little red from talking so fast.

Meanwhile, Dad was nodding along doing his best to look merry and engaged, but as Laurie kept on rambling I could feel Dad's hand slowly lower inquisitively down my back. His palm grew closer and closer to the papery waistband at the back of my diaper. It sent an icy cold shiver down my spine. Finally, he arrived. He patted twice on the small of my back where the diaper material began under my shirt, producing two barely audible crinkles. I let out a tiny frightened squeak, whining and clenching my fists.

Dad's eyebrows lowered with concern. He grabbed the back of my green corduroy pants and gave them a tug - just the same way Nate had done. I looked at him ashamed, big puppy dog eyes pleading for him not to be angry or disappointed in me, but Dad just seemed confused and bewildered. Bouncing me slightly forward on his knee, he gave the pants a further tug - actually pulling them down an inch or so. I let out an audible gasp, but just then the flash of the camera went off as Mrs Hewitt took the picture! I must have looked like a deer in the headlights. I was breathing heavily and my heart was pounding. What was Dad going to say?

Laurie slipped off Dad's knee, completely unaware of what was happening between us. He rushed straight over to Mrs Hewitt, who was holding out a couple of wrapped gifts for us. Not wanting to explain to Dad, I also jumped off his knee. I knew he was still right there, watching me waddle forward with the white material poking out of my pants like a baby deer's tail, but I wanted to create as much distance as quickly as possible. The sleigh bells on my toddler reins jingled merrily as I hurried away. Dad didn't say anything though. I guess he was still pretending to be Santa.

Laurie had already been ravenously tearing into his early present from Santa. "Oh wow Lego!" He squealed, clearly excited that Santa got him something from his list right away. He held it up proudly; it was a small green and red train made to turn into a Christmas tree ornament.