✅2️⃣ Testing the Babysitter

Twenty-fourth Test: Assessing Your Plans

"Now, tell me honestly," Claudia asked. "How easy do you think it will be for you to disobey? Based on how you are feeling now, how long do you expect the root to last before you start being able to fight it?"

"Another hour," Adam answered after a brief pause for thought. "Maybe two. Not any sooner than an hour, I can't even imagine how it would feel to disobey an order. Like it's a psychedelic dream that makes no sense."

"Good girl. I'll give you a choice then, I think. I'm going to add a little of the extract to Lori's last drink of the evening, to make it easier for her to get to sleep in spite of her excitement about having you over. It doesn't always have to be about control, you understand. Instructions can be compassionate guidance as well. Now, I could offer you some as well. But if you want it, you have to let me know. You have to clearly show me that you want to be helpless, whether that's through actions or words. If you're nervous, you can just let your current dose wear off. But be warned, if you ask for the drug without telling me what you want to be subjected to, I'll continue to assume that this baby game is exactly what you want, and you will be more humiliated than you can possibly imagine. Right?"

Adam nodded, and took a shuddering breath. He wanted to tell her that he'd had enough of being a child, and he just wanted to do something fun together. But he could only refer to himself as a baby girl for now, so he couldn't find permissible words to express what he wanted. He would have to wait an hour or two, probably until Lorelei was asleep, and then he would be able to tell Claudia what he really wanted. They could make some kind of compromise, he was sure, between the things he wanted and her ideas. But once the drug wore off, he could tell her the truth, and they would finally be able to talk like adults. He couldn't wait.

"Come on. Lori will be wondering where we've got to. You were just going to the bathroom, remember?"

Adam automatically reached for his shorts. They did almost nothing to cover the diaper, but they were all he had. Claudia grabbed his wrist, and he found himself trying to obey the order to pee again as he raised his eyes to meet hers. Thankfully, it hadn't been that long since the last time she had touched him, and his bladder was still empty.

"Little girls don't need to wear shorts, do they? You're too little to be embarrassed about your body."

"I don't want a child to see my legs. Like, she might be scarred for life."

Claudia looked down at him. His legs were one part of his body he'd always been a little self-conscious about; with hair a little coarser than most of his friends. He had no idea what was considered appropriate for a child to see these days, or whether being in a diaper would change that at all, but he didn't want to upset Lorelei, and he didn't want anyone to be able to say this day had been inappropriate. This wasn't just about humiliation now, but common decency.

"Your legs are _fine_," she gave her opinion after a few minutes staring, putting a lot of emphasis on the last word. "You don't need to worry so much. And I don't think Lori would even notice them, but sure. If it makes you any more comfortable, you can cover up your diaper."

"Thanks," he sighed, knowing that the shorts wouldn't do much in that regard. It was a victory in principle, but once he was dressed again it didn't really make him feel any less embarrassed.

They went back downstairs to find find the child sitting in front of the television again. Adam started to worry about what Mrs Cartwright would think if she found out. Wasn't too much screen time supposed to be bad for kids now? But he realised that she would have been much more concerned about other things, and dismissed the worry. A couple of hours surely wouldn't make that much difference, and it would be a welcome break for her if his guesses about her mother's normal strictness were anything like accurate.

"Wait, what time are you expecting your mum back?" he hissed at Claudia as she sat down again. "Can I please not be dressed like this before then?"

"Don't worry, she's planning to stay over with Mrs Groanwick. She's got to plan something for the kid's birthday, and she always tries her hardest even if she doesn't really understand what Lori likes, so I thought she could use a break. I hope you don't mind."

"No, that's fine," Adam mumbled. He'd only been thinking about himself again, and he felt a little bad about that. He couldn't imagine what Mrs Cartwright would do for fun if she was cut loose from her kids for an evening, and he didn't want to. But it was somehow comforting to see that Claudia was confident and in charge. She had made plans, rather than just doing what made sense at the time, and she'd apparently only started treating him like this once she already knew it was relatively safe. Somehow, that made him worry a little less.

"So what are you watching?" he turned the questions back to Lorelei. There were no magical gumballs on the screen, and no characters he knew, so he felt confident in guessing that she'd picked something different now.

"Thunder!" the kid answered, still giving the screen her full attention. Whatever this might be, she didn't want to turn away for a moment. And as long as she was enjoying herself, Adam saw no reason to interfere with that.