Going Back to Diapers Again

Morning

In the end, number 1 was voted the most. Suzie will be demoted to Kindergarten.

During the cold snow of winter, in a calm neighborhood, inside one house, was a single mother struggling with some decisions.

"Oh great..." She muttered to herself as she stared at her computer. "Let's see... I have to go back to work on January 11... and Suzie's school starts on January 22... 11 days... 11 days. ELEVEN DAYS. I can't just leave her..."

Lucy was a single 35-year-old mother who had to work as an accountant to keep the lights on. Of course, being a single mother wasn't easy but her friends in and out of work made it easier. But after what happened over the autumn and winter, it wasn't so easy.

In the past, if there was a gap between her work calendar and Suzie's school calendar, she would have her stay at a friend's house. But after the the autumn and winter Suzie was... different to say the least.

Lucy looked at the baby monitor camera at the nursery. Inside she could see her baby girl Suzie napping in her crib looking as cute as a button. She could see her in her white and grey striped onesie, weirdly looking like a prison uniform. It was long-sleeved and had blue highlights on the neck, cuffs, and ankles as well as a hood. She could see Suzie's brown hair in a mess in her crib and her blue pacifier going up and down. Even from here, she could tell she would need a change soon.

Her hand grazed the screen and her heart melted. With all of these new needs, she couldn't just leave Suzie with a friend. She needed something else.

Then all of a sudden she got a phone call. "Hello?"

"Hey Lucy?"

"Oh, it's you, Cassandra. What's up?"

"So have you managed to find a place for Suzie yet?"

"No. Not yet."

"Is her medical condition really that embarrassing?"

Lucy didn't want to tell anyone about Suzie's new hobby and behavior. That would be on Suzie to tell them herself if she wanted to. So she just told her friends she had a medical condition.

"I'm not sure Suzie is ready to be around her friends with this yet. Not until later. I'll help her, but for now, I need to send her some other place."

Lucy heard a sigh on the other end of the phone call. "Whatever you say. She's your daughter after all. Wait a minute..."

"What is it?"

"There's this daycare Kindergarten place that one of my friends runs. I don't exactly know what Suzie's medical condition involves, but based on what you said I think they could handle it."

Cassandra paused for a moment before speaking again. "I'll talk to my friend who runs the place. I think they'll be more open to accepting someone like Suzie for just a bit. She might just have Suzie help around a bit. You can sign her up for one of the older places if she's comfortable with this."

"Really?" Lucy asked, curious.

"Yes. I think so. You could always tell her Suzie is special. They could handle her and her medical stuff."

"You don't say... yeah I think this could work. Send me the phone number and I'll arrange it."

"I will. Nice that I could help."

"Thanks, Cass. You're a real one."

"No problem, bye."

"Bye."

Lucy hung up the call and saw the phone number she had just sent. She found a website linked to the daycare. She opened the link and saw it had a good reputation. She would have to visit the place ahead of time and check with what place has openings.

"Alright then... I'll need to arrange for a time..."

She picked up her phone and made a call to the front desk. Lucy anxiously tapped her finger against her desk waiting for an answer. Then it picked up.

Choice 2: What happens at the daycare and how does her mom sign Suzie up?

1. Comment your own suggestion
2. Her mom tells the clerk that Suzie is a toddler and Suzie pretends she is while there
3. Her mom tells the clerk Suzie's real age and she's treated normally but gets downgraded to Kindergarten level later