✅📚 A Little Request

11: A Bigger Challenge

I came back a few times while preparing dinner, and sat next to Teri with my arm around her. She was delighted every time, eyes sparkling like she'd been missing me for months. She'd pull me close as tight as she could, and snuggle up to me. And by the time I had to go again, she'd be so absorbed in the show that she didn't even notice. It was the best of both worlds, always surprised and delighted to see me.

I was away when she felt a little gurgling in her tummy. She quickly looked towards the kitchen door, and then back to the hall. She knew she should call me back, and ask me to take her to the bathroom. It was best not to wait, because she wasn't as grown-up as she remembered. But she didn't want to disturb me. I wanted to be with her as much as I could, so she knew that if I wasn't in the room, I must be doing something important. She put her hands on her hips, a visible sign of determination, and carefully lowered herself off the couch.

She could stand up now, and her legs weren't as wobbly as before. This time, she was sure she could prove that she was a big girl. The warm wetness of her diaper made her a little less sure about that, but it didn't matter. She was just a baby, she knew, but she wanted to try to be a big girl one time at least.

She put one foot forward, looking down to make sure it was flat on the ground so she wouldn't fall. And then with one hand on the edge of the couch to keep her stable, she swung the other leg around. She was waddling even more than before, as the soaked diaper had swelled to more than double its original thickness. But she wouldn't let that stop her now. She wasn't going to be distracted either, she was sure of that. Because she could feel the weight in her tummy, a constant reminder that she needed to get to the bathroom quickly.

"At least there's already a step there," she mumbled to herself, but the words turned into a meaningless babble before they came out of her mouth. She found herself giggling a bit at how hard it was to talk, but her confidence was restored as she reminded herself how much time she'd spent earlier trying to get a plastic box in front of the toilet so that she could reach. As long as Daddy hadn't put it away again, she would be so much quicker this time.

She took another shaky step and swayed slightly, finding it hard to keep her balance. She knew that she needed not to fall now, and she tried her best to keep her eyes on the door ahead, or on her feet, to make sure she managed to stay standing. One more step, and then another, and she could reach out to grab the door handle. That was a moment of triumph, and she felt super proud that she'd got so far all by herself. But she couldn't rest, not now. She needed to go to the bathroom, and the weight in her tummy was getting heavier with every step. She could imagine it like an iron ball, trying to pull her bum down to the ground. She didn't know if it was really making it harder for her to walk straight, but it certainly felt harder. She had to keep thinking about where she was putting her foot for every step, and the bulk and weight of her soggy diaper, and the weight in her tummy as well. It was a lot of things to think about.

She took another step closer, and her legs wobbled just a little. With so much weight inside her, and the diaper keeping her from standing straight, it was too hard for her little legs to keep standing. And when she pulled on the door handle, she realised that she was standing in the way of the door opening. She needed to find somewhere she could stand where she could reach the door, but it would still open. That was a puzzle by itself, but she thought she could see where she needed to be. Just a couple of steps to one side.

Teri extended her left foot again, holding onto the door in case she slipped, and carefully tested her balance in the new place. She could stand there. Then the second foot, and this time she'd have to take her hand away from the door while she turned around a bit. She'd never realised before that there was so much work in just walking across the room. And as embarrassed as she felt, it was kind of fun. A test, to prove to herself what a big girl she was, and impress Daddy. Thinking about the way I'd smiled at her when I saw her walking, that was enough to push her forward.

She put her foot on the ground and swayed slightly, the iron ball in her tummy making it hard to even stand up properly. It was too heavy for such a little girl to keep on holding, and she knew she had to rest now. She fought against it, but her legs bent under the weight and suddenly all she could think about was not falling down. She couldn't keep on standing up, but she could let her legs bend under the weight and rest there a moment. If she let her legs relax, she would be able to carry on walking.

Then she was squatting and the heavy ball in her tummy was still getting heavier. It wanted to keep on moving down, even when it had pulled her bum almost down to the floor. She tried to stop it, it hold on, but she was just too weak. It still wasn't enough. She'd got almost to the door but Teri couldn't hold it any more, and straining with all her strength to stop it, she found herself helplessly pooping in her diaper.

Her cheeks flashed crimson again. This must mean that she really was a complete baby, at least for today. But then another thought came to her mind, and she knew that Daddy would make it all better. She'd had an accident, like a baby her age always would, and there was no point trying to hold it any more. Daddy would come and change her, she knew, so it was okay to just let it happen now. Still squatting, she let herself push a little, and felt a wave of relief as all her mess flowed out into the diaper. There was no dreadful pressure inside her now, it felt so much better, and for a second she wondered why she'd even tried to hold it. Hadn't I told her to use her diaper whenever she felt the need?

She stood up again, finding it just a little harder to move with her diaper carrying so much extra weight. She could feel the mess pressing against her bottom, but somehow it didn't bother her. She'd tried so hard not to mess her diaper, but now that she had it didn't even matter. She was just a baby, she understood that now, and there was nothing wrong with letting herself act like a baby.

She didn't know whether to laugh or to blush in shame when she noticed me standing across the room, holding my nose in a comically exaggerated gesture. She settled for both, holding her hands over her face in an attempt to hide her blushes as she giggled uncontrollably.

"Well, you're a happy little baby, aren't you?" I said as I picked her up, "But you're a stinky little baby too. And I think my Princess needs a change. Yes?"

She nodded, still blushing, and then buried her face in my shoulder so I couldn't see her expression. Somehow I managed to open the door without dropping her, and took her up to the playroom where the changing mat was already spread out on the bed. I let her play with her dolls again, which immediately captured her attention, while I carefully untaped her diaper and cleaned her up. She was barely aware of my ministrations, but she knew she was cared for, and cooed and giggled happily at her toys.

I whispered something in her ear, and she didn't even pay attention to that. She just nodded and babbled happily, and a moment later she could feel me taping the soft bulk of a clean diaper around her waist.

"Come on, Princess," I gently returned the dolls to their cardboard house once her onesie was closed again and she was sitting closer. "Dinner should be about ready now. And maybe a little extra treat for you."

Teri was a little confused then. She couldn't think what an extra treat might be, but she didn't mind. She knew that anything her Daddy did for her would be wonderful, and she trusted me completely. It felt so good, just knowing that she could let me take care of everything. She rested her head on my shoulder as I carried her downstairs, and I could feel her soft breath on my neck. She was so relaxed, I wasn't sure if she'd fall asleep before we got there.