The following morning Ty had had great fun eating breakfast with his dad while they were still in their nighttime diapers. Ty’s sister rolled her eyes at the sight but otherwise didn’t say anything.
“Will you be working late tonight?” Melinda asked Luke.
“I don’t think so. I hope not,” her husband answered. “
Luke went upstairs to get ready for work. Melinda followed him a minute or so later. Josie hadn’t said much yet. As soon as their parents were gone, she started in on Ty.
“How wet is the baby this morning? Do you need your dry sister to help you? I hope your panties aren’t going to leak all over the place.”
“Quit it,” Ty demanded. “Stop calling my plastic pants panties. Look what happened the last time you did that.”
“Eddie isn’t here to do your dirty work for you. You wouldn’t dare touch me.”
Ty felt frustrated because his sister was right. He wouldn’t get physical with her. His parents would have a fit if he did. Still, he had to figure out a way to get his sister in trouble. Maybe she didn’t remember it, but their mom had told Josie to stop calling Ty and Eddie’s plastic pants panties. He would trap her one way or another.
Luke was ready to leave for work. He kissed his wife and was halfway out the door before he came back and sheepishly picked up his diaper bag.
“Guess I’ll have to get used to this again.”
After breakfast, Ty’s mom asked him to try on his soccer shorts. He pulled them up and tied the drawstring. The waist was fine, but they definitely ballooned out (just like Bryin’s did).
“OK, they’ll do,” his mother declared.
“But…”
Ty was on the verge of saying that he looked like Bryin and that everyone would know that he was wearing diapers underneath. He stopped himself in time, though. ‘I guess I’ll have to live with it,” he thought. “This is what I want.”
“But, what?” his mother asked.
“Nothing. Are we going over to Bryin’s now to do the laundry?”
“In a few minutes.”
Ty took the shorts off.
“We’re walking, you know.”
“I know.”
His mother sighed as she realized that Ty wasn’t going to do anything to cover his diapers even though he could wear his new pants or his soccer shorts to cover up his diapers and plastic pants. Considering her husband’s genuine need for diapers, Melinda wasn’t sure how to handle Ty. He was exhibiting the same desires and behaviors as Bryin. He didn’t seem to care how many people saw him in his diapers.
They arrived at June and Henry’s at around 9:45.
“Go get the diapers and plastic pants that you and Eddie wore and bring them to the laundry room. You’re going to need to know how to care for them. I have no intention of taking responsibility for your diapers.”
Melissa showed him which washing machine setting to use. She directed him to separate out the plastic pants. She would show him how to hand wash them after he finished his morning chores. He consulted the list that his aunt had left and saw that all she wanted him to do was to bring in the newspaper (which they had already done) and to check the houseplants for watering, especially the ones in the living room. That’s where he was when Mark showed up.
“Hi, Mark. Come in. Or will your mom go ballistic?” Ty asked.
“All she said was that I couldn’t stay at home; she didn’t say I couldn’t go into other people’s houses.”
As Mark entered, Ty marveled at how huge his friend’s double diapers were.
“Is your mom going to make you go everywhere like that?”
“I think so,” Mark answered dejectedly. “I don’t mind that people know that I’m wearing diapers- it’s just that it’s scary having people actually see the diapers. Today, I have to go with her shopping for a drying rack for my plastic pants and then she says we’re going shopping for some new pants for me.”
“Will she let you wear pants after that?” Ty wondered.
“Not yet, she says I’m still a long way from earning back that privilege.”
The more Mark talked about his mother’s treatment of him the more envious Ty became. He was imagining what it would be like to go shopping with his diapers and plastic pants fully exposed. “I wonder how I could l get my mom to take me around like that?” he wondered.
Melinda called Ty into the kitchen. Mark went with him. Melinda didn’t comment on his double diapering although she did raise her eyebrows as he walked in.
“OK, Ty, It’s time to learn how to hand wash plastic pants.”
She walked him through the whole process including the use of lukewarm water, a mild detergent, and the need to rinse them thoroughly and to squeeze the waist and leg bands gently.
“”If you don’t take care of them properly they will harden and crack. If we have to buy you more because you have abused them, the cost will come out of your allowance,” Melinda warned.
“I understand,” Ty said as he and Mark left the kitchen to hang Bryin’s plastic pants in the bathroom.
“Is this the kind of drying rack your mom is taking you out to buy?” Ty asked.
“I don’t know. I guess it would work OK.”
As Melinda was locking up the house Mark asked Ty if he could go over to his (Ty’s) house since his mother wasn’t allowing him to stay at home.
“Mom, can Mark come over for a while?” Ty asked.
“Sure, I don’t see why not. Just make sure to tell your mother where you’re going, Mark.”
When they arrived home Eddie was waiting on the front lawn. Melinda sighed inwardly as she noticed his plastic pants gleaming in the sunlight. The boys went up to Ty’s room. Eddie wanted to know everything that had happened since Mark left for the white elephant sale with his mom. Eddie sympathized with Mark about being seen in public but he was also fascinated by the story. He shared his own experiences about going shopping with his mother the day before.
“The first stop we made was at the Old Navy store to get me some pants. I was a little scared but it was way cool to wear diapers in public. A lot of people noticed me but nobody said anything bad. A couple of ladies asked my mom about my diapers buy my mom didn’t really answer them. She just said that this was the way things were and we kept on shopping. After I tried on the pants and shorts, my mom made me take them off until they were paid for. At the cash register my mom asked for some scissors to cut off the tags of the jeans I just got. I didn’t really want to wear them right away but my mom said we were going to the mall next so I agreed. Going to the mall in just diapers was way too risky!”
During Eddie’s story it occurred to Ty that he was the only one who hadn’t yet gone out to a crowded area in just diapers. Yesterday, at the movies, he had been wearing pants so he didn’t feel like he had been initiated like Eddie and Mark. He was even a little jealous of their exploits.
“When is your mom taking you shopping again?” Ty asked Mark.
“Right after lunch,” he sighed.
After a few seconds of silence, Ty asked, “Do you think your mom would let me go with you? You know, so that you wouldn’t feel so alone?”
“Do you mean in just diapers and plastic pants?!” Mark asked incredulously.
“Yeah, I guess so,” Ty answered.
“Would you? Would you really do that?” Mark repeated.
“Uh, yeah. That’s what I said.”
“I guess she would. I don’t know. But I’ll do everything to convince her!” Mark said. “But will your mom let you go like that?”
Ty went downstairs to ask his mom. He came back about two minutes later.
“My mom said that she has to talk to your mom first,” Ty reported.
“Why?” Mark asked.
“She says that she wants to know where we’re going and for how long.”
“Why? Do you have something to do today?”
“Sort of, I guess,” Ty answered. “My uncle and aunt are coming back from vacation this afternoon and my mom says I have to go over there to apologize for using Bryin’s diapers and plastic pants.”
Ty’s mom called him downstairs. When he got back he announced that he could go shopping with Mark, but with conditions.
“What conditions?” Eddie asked.
“My mom says I have to wear my new pants and that I have to come straight back home after we’re done,” Ty answered.
“Oh,” Mark said in a disappointed tone.
“Sorry,” Ty said.
“You probably would have chickened out anyway,” Eddie stated.
“I would not,” Ty answered, stung by Eddie’s accusation of cowardice.
“That’s easy for you to say now,” Eddie continued. “Me and Mark have already been seen wearing our diapers in public places. How do we even know that your mom said that you have to wear pants? Maybe you just made that up to get out of your promise.”
“I did not!” Ty practically screamed.
“Yeah, leave him alone,” Mark said to Eddie. “It’s not his fault.”
“Maybe not,” Eddie said softening his tone, “but it’s still pretty convenient for him.”
“I’ll prove it,” Ty said defiantly. “When I go to Mark’s after lunch. I’ll leave my pants at your house, Eddie, and I’ll pick them up before I come back home.
“OK, it’s a deal,” Eddie agreed.
Eddie and Mark left a short while later. Mark was especially happy that Ty had taken the bait. He and Eddie had clearly heard Ty’s mother tell him that he would have to wear pants on the shopping trip. They had made up the story of not believing him because they knew he couldn’t resist a challenge, especially if someone called him chicken.
About an hour later Ty arrived at Mark’s house. As promised, he was not wearing any pants. He felt a little nervous about going out to a crowded store like this but it was too late for him to back down.
“Hi,” Mark said as Ty came into the yard. “My mom’s waiting for the baby sitter. Do you want to go inside to my room?”
“Yeah, OK,” Ty answered. “You’re only wearing one diaper. Did your mom change her mind about making your diapers super-obvious?”
“Not really. When she changed me after lunch she said that I would be wearing one diaper for the shopping trip only because I have to try on pants. After we come back she says she’ll put me back into double diapers.”
The baby sitter arrived and Mrs. Haddlin called Mark and Eddie. It was time to leave.
“Who’s going to baby sit Sean?” Ty asked.
“I don’t know. Usually it’s Mrs. Tanger from next door.”
Mark led the way to the kitchen hoping that Mrs. Tanger wouldn’t see them in their diapers and plastic pants. However, the baby sitter was in the kitchen getting herself some water. The baby sitter wasn’t Mrs. Tanger, either. It was Pam Byers a fellow student of Mark and Ty! Her eyes bulged and she nearly choked on her water as she focused on them.
“Omigod!” she squealed. “You guys look so cute.”
Neither Ty nor Mark knew what to do. There was nowhere to hide so they tried to get past her and out the door. She deliberately blocked their way.
“Nice pants, Mark. And, you too, Ty. Are those real baby pants with snaps on the side? What did you guys do to get punished like this?”
Before they could answer Mrs. Haddlin came into the kitchen.
“Oh, they’re not being punished,” she said nonchalantly. “They asked to be dressed like this. Isn’t that right, boys?”
Neither boy answered.
“Well, anyway,” she continued, “they did. I don’t know why they’re being so shy all of a sudden. In the next few hours lots of people are going to see them in their cute diapers and plastic pants. Ty, did you bring a diaper bag?”
It seemed like Mrs. Haddlin was trying to do everything she could to embarrass the boys in front of their classmate.
“No, ma’am,” Ty managed to squeak out.
“Well, never mind, I’ve already washed the diaper and plastic pants you lent Mark yesterday. I’ll just put them into his diaper bag.” Turning to Pam she added, “It’s always good to have spares handy when boys are in diapers.”
“Absolutely,” Pam agreed, playing along with Mrs. Haddlin. “By the way, Mrs. Haddlin, I’ve baby sat older babies before. If you ever need a baby sitter for Mark I’d be happy to do it.”
“Why, thank you, Pam. I may take you up on that. It’s very hard getting sitters for older children, especially when they’re still in diapers at a late age.”
Mark wasn’t sure if his mother was serious or not. Her laughter sure didn’t sound very sincere.
Mrs. Haddlin treated them like babies all the way to the bed and bath store. She kept talking to them as if they were two years old, pointing out various things and telling them how much fun they were going to have shopping. All of this was making Ty very nervous, causing him to become very sensitive to the pressure building up in his bladder. It took all of his courage to get out of the car. Mark didn’t look very confident either. People stared at them all the way into the store. Inside the store, Mrs. Haddlin made a big deal out of their errand.
“I’m here to get a drying rack for my son’s plastic pants,” she said to the first sales clerk that she saw. “Can you tell me where they are, please?”
“They’re in aisle fourteen,” the high-school-aged clerk said. “I’d be happy to show them to you. Please follow me.”
She showed them four different types, including one that was made to hang down from the ceiling.
“I think that either one of these will do the trick,” Mrs. Haddlin said pointing to two freestanding models. “About how many pairs of plastic pants do you think either will hold?”
“I’m sorry but I really don’t know,” the clerk apologized. “Is that a diaper bag you’re carrying? Are there any extra plastic pants in there that you could measure with?”
“Well, of course,” Mrs. Haddlin said, “what a good idea.”
The whole conversation between Mrs. Haddlin and the clerk had been carried on as if the boys weren’t there. Also, it had been done loudly enough for people to easily overhear. By now, most of the people in the store had spotted the boys. A few kids (about the same age as Ty and Mark) were the worst. They giggled behind their hands and pointed them out to their parents or brothers and sisters. When Mrs. Haddlin opened the diaper bag and exposed their extra diapers and plastic pants the boys thought that they couldn’t possibly feel more mortified. But they were wrong. She pulled out a pair of plastic pants and unfolded them loudly.
“Oh dear,” she said, “I’m not sure if these are my son’s or his friend’s. Turn around, boys, so that I can check the labels inside your plastic pants.”
Ty got even redder in the face as he felt Mrs. Haddlin pull up his shirt and then tug at the waistband of his plastic pants to get a look at the label. He squirmed a little bit.
“Stand still, honey. I’m almost done.” she said as she readjusted the waistband of his plastic pants.
Mark stood off to the side, partially hidden by a bin full of sale items.
“Come here, Mark. I need to check your label next.”
Mark stepped away from the display. Despite his best efforts, his hands could not hide the growing yellow spot inside his plastic pants.
“Is that why you were hiding back there?” his mom asked in a tone of voice normally used with a small child. “Now don’t you worry, I’ll change you as soon as we get back to the car. Don’t be upset when you make pee pee in your diapers. That’s what they’re for, aren’t they?”
Mark was too embarrassed to look anywhere but at the floor. Still, he could feel all eyes focused on his diapers as his mother checked the label of his plastic pants.
“OK, honey, turn around. Your diaper is sagging- you don’t want it to fall off, do you?”
She lowered his plastic pants about halfway down his diaper as she readjusted the top pins. The distinct odor of urine wafted about the store. No one doubted where it came from. Despite everything, Mark had to admit that the newly tightened diaper felt better and more secure.
Mr. Haddlin selected a drying rack and loaded the box into her shopping cart.
“Would you boys like to go next door to the computer store while I look for a few more items?”
Ty reacted first.
“Do we have to?” he practically screeched.
“Of course not,” Mrs. Haddlin said in a reasonable voice. “It’s just that you guys always want to go there. You can stay with me and pick out new sheets if that’s what you want.”
It wasn’t what the guys wanted but it was better than going into the computer store alone. Being seen here with Mark’s mother was one thing. If one of their friends saw them they could always claim that she had forced them into this. Going into the computer store with their plastic pants exposed (along with Mark’s wet diaper) wouldn’t be so easy to explain. Lastly, Ty was worried that he couldn’t hold out wetting his diaper for much longer.
Mrs. Haddlin seemed to be taking forever to decide what sheets to get. (The boys were still a few years away from realizing how differently women shop compared to men.) Ty hoped that he could hold out until they got back to the car. If she was going to change Mark maybe she would change him at the same time. Finally, they were heading for the check out and not one moment too soon in Ty’s opinion.
As soon as they walked out of the store Ty began wetting his diapers. They wheeled their purchases to the car and loaded them into the trunk. Just as she was ready to unlock the car, a look of consternation crossed Mrs. Haddlin’s face.
“I knew there was something I was forgetting,” she exclaimed. “Come on, boys, we have to go back.”
“But you said that you’d change me!” Mark protested.
“Can’t we wait here, please?” Ty begged.
Mrs. Haddlin looked over to Ty and noticed how wet he was. She decided to stand firm.
“No, you may not. We need to go to the computer store,” she announced.
“The computer store!” the boys cried simultaneously.
“Yes, we need a new color ink cartridge for the printer. Don’t we, Mark?”
“I guess so, but can’t we get it later?” Mark practically begged.
“That would be silly now that we’re already here- it will only take a minute. Besides, aren’t you the one who said you needed a new one last night?” she asked pointedly.
Before they could answer she grabbed each of them by the hand and started marching them towards the computer store. The boys became quite agitated. How many of their friends might be in the store? How would they react? Would they ever talk to them again? They imagined all kinds of horrors.
They entered the store. There seemed to be no one else there except the clerk behind the counter. His eyes grew round as he focused on the boys plastic pants and… (yes!) wet diapers.
“May I help you?” he said recovering his composure.
“Yes, Mrs. Haddlin answered, “we need a color ink cartridge for our printer.”
“Do you know the cartridge number or the make and model of the printer?”
“No, I don’t. But I’m sure my son does. Mark, why don’t you go with the clerk to show him the cartridge we need? Ty, why don’t you help him out? I’ll wait here by the cash register.”
The boys weren’t fooled by her questions. They were orders. They reluctantly followed the clerk to the far corner of the store. The squishing sound of their wet diapers followed them across the room. So did the faint odor of pee that was now emanating from their diapers.
“Which one of you is Mark?” the clerk asked.
“I am,” Mark answered reluctantly. “We need a 78A cartridge.”
The clerk pulled one off the hanging rack. They were in and out of the store in less than four minutes. The boys breathed a sigh of relief as they got back to the car.
“Where will we go to get changed?” Mark asked.
“Nowhere,” his mother answered. “I’ll change you on the back seat like I always did.”
“But someone might see us!” Mark protested.
“Sorry, guys. This is standard procedure for mothers. You guys wanted to wear diapers- now you have to live by the decisions that mothers make about where to change them. Who wants to be first?”
Neither wanted to be first, or second, for that matter. Ty broke the deadlock by volunteering to go first.
Mrs. Haddlin opened up the diaper bag and took out the supplies she would need.
“I’m going to need a changing pad for the car. Remind me in case I forget,” she told Mark.
She laid out two diapers on the back seat.
“This won’t be ideal but it will have to do for today. Let’s get your plastic pants and diaper off before you lay down on the clean diaper.”
Ty nervously looked around as she unsnapped his plastic pants and unpinned his diaper. He dove into the back seat before anyone could see him. Mrs. Haddlin did a quick job of cleaning him and getting him pinned him into the first diaper. He was about to stand up when she stopped him
“Not yet. I have to get the second diaper on you.”
“Second diaper! How come?” Ty questioned.
“I know that your mother wanted you to wear the new pants she got you yesterday. Since you don’t seem to want to wear them, there’s no reason to lightly diaper you. You chose to have people see your diapers, so let’s give them something to look at,” Mrs. Haddlin explained.
Ty knew he was trapped. But how did she find out that he had taken off his pants?
“Sorry, Ty,” Mark said, feeling responsible for having dared Ty to go shopping in just diapers and plastic pants.
“Alright, your turn Mark,” his mother said.
Ty got out of the back seat and nervously stood by the car as Mark had his diaper removed. There was a slight breeze and Ty could feel the wind passing through the diapers. He had never been outside without plastic pants so he felt practically naked.
“Can I have my plastic pants now?” he meekly asked Mrs. Haddlin.
“As soon as I finish with Mark,” she answered.
Time seemed to be crawling. What was taking so long? (Mark was getting put into double diapers, too.) Several times Ty heard people walking somewhere in the parking lot, but no one had approached where they were parked- until now, that is. Ty was in a near panic as he heard familiar voices approaching.
“Hey, Ty,” one voice called. “How’s it going?”
Ty’s stomach clenched. Howie Masterfield and another classmate, Ron Draght had spotted him. There was no where to escape. The car he was standing next to would only hide his diapers temporarily. Mark also became agitated as he realized what was happening. Only Mrs. Haddlin maintained a slight smile on her lips.
“Hello, boys,” she called out, deliberately encouraging them to come closer.
She bent back into the back seat to finished pinning Mark into his second diaper. Mark and Ty were so scared that neither of them could move. Howie and Ron stood open-mouthed when they saw Ty’s diapers. Mrs. Haddlin was going to play the scene for all she could.
“You can say hello to Mark as soon as I finish getting his diapers pinned.”
Howie and Ron were also glued to the ground in surprise. Ty was blushing furiously and Mark (still lying on the back seat) began shaking violently.
“Stop that this instant,” his mother hissed. “You asked for this, now you’re going to take the consequences.”
She practically yanked Mark to a standing position outside the car.
“Hi, guys,” Howie managed to croak. He didn’t know what else to say.
Mrs. Haddlin was the only one who acted as if nothing unusual was going on. She handed each boy a pair of plastic pants. (Ty noticed that they were bigger and thicker than any he owned.)
“Come on, don’t dawdle. We’ve still got more shopping to do. Get your plastic pants on so that I can check that your diapers are completely covered.”
Ty and Mark cringed as the plastic pants crinkled very loudly as they slid them up their legs. Mrs. Haddlin took the opportunity to talk to the other boys.
“Are you guys out shopping or were you at the video arcade?” she asked.
“Just looking around,” Ron answered.
“Did you just come from the computer store? We were just there ourselves- I wonder why we didn’t see each other,” she mused.
Now that Mark and Ty had put on their plastic pants she turned her attention back to them.
“Very good, boys,” she said. “Maybe I won’t have to check your plastic pants every time you change. You did a good job of covering your diapers.”
Mark and Ty were ready to crawl under the car. Mrs. Haddlin was obviously trying to focus as much attention on their diapered state as possible.
“Anyway,” Mrs. Haddlin continued, “We’re heading for the mall. Would you like to join us?”
“No, ma’am, but thank you.” Ron answered. “My mom is expecting me home soon. Thanks for the offer, though. So long, guys.”
“Yeah, so long,” Howie echoed.
“Mom!” Mark said between clenched teeth. “How could you invite them to come with us? That was so embarrassing.”
“I told you that nothing was going change just because you want to wear diapers. Wouldn’t you have spoken to them if we had met them here two days ago when you were still wearing pants?”
There was no answer to that. Mark knew she was right.
“If we’re going to the mall to get me some pants, why did you put me into double diapers?” Mark asked.
“Who said we’re going to the mall to buy you pants? That was the original plan, but why should I buy you pants if you guys are going to challenge each other to go out in just your diapers? I’ll wait for school to start again before I spend money on pants for you. Now, get in the car. I need to make at least two stops inside the mall.”
They didn’t see anyone they knew at the mall but they got lots more stares. At least Mrs. Haddlin only wanted to look at things in some of the smaller women’s shops.