I'm not a puppy! (age regression)

9. Getting a bit late

Tom whipped out his phone and texted me the number as we kept talking.
"Your insurance would cover it and he works really well with kids in the midst of regression"

"That sounds great but I'll have to figure out how to get Jamie into a doctors first. They were already scared enough meeting you"
"I'm sure you'll convince them, what with you already getting the Dad attitude"
We laughed again.

Tom looked up to a clock on the wall.
"I should probably be heading if I wanna beat all the traffic"
"Oh yeah the traffics killer this time of night"
I sarcastically replied, Tom laughed.

"Thanks for the food, you and the kid make a good team"
"Here come say bye"

We walked up to the sitting room and I opened up the closed over door. I stared in awe at the adorable sight befoe me. So did Tom as he came in behind me.

Jamie was fast asleep, snoring quietly and slightly curled in on themselves. They wore an adorable pair of striped pyjamas and adventure time played softly on the tv.

"Just look at that and tell me you don't wanna pick them up and just coddle them. Never put em down. I have to deal with this nearly every day, I don't know how i do it"
I bit my knuckles
"They look adorable and you've already developed mad parent brain. You can practically see the hearts in your eyes."

Jamie whined loudly in their sleep, kicking a leg before curling up and edging their thumb closer to their mouth. Jamie started to whimper while still asleep and I frowned.
"That doesn't sound good"
Tom concurred
"Probably a nightmare"
I hummed and Tom put his hand on my shoulder, giving me some pats.

"Go to them brother I'll make my own way out"
They turned to leave and I gently called after.
"Alright bye Tom, catch you later"

I quietly walked over, turned off the tv and bent down next to Jamie. I knew just picking them up would be easier but I was sure Jamie wouldn't like that.
"Jamie, Jamie"
I started softly, placing a hand on their shoulder.

They grumbled and wiggled away from my hand. I smirked.
"Bambi, you gotta wake up for a second so you can go up to bed"
Jamie whined again when I put my hand on their shoulder and rubbed.
"Wakey wakey Jam Bam"
Jamie stirred. I brushed all their hair out of their face.
"Come on Jamie, up up up"
I gave a few gentle shakes and Jamie groaned, awake. They pushed up onto their elbows. I rubbed their back.

"Hey bambi.. you fell asleep on the couch"
Jamie let out a tiny yawn before looking around wearily. They whined.
"Noooooooooooo"

I didn't expect it but none the less I continued rubbing Jamie's back, it seeming to comfort them
"Woah what's wrong jamie?"
"Didn't wanna fall asleep, don like, am jam not a baby"
I almost chuckled, they were acting small again.
"No you're not a baby, you're jam!"

Jamie smiled tiredly and nodded.
"Jam jam big.. can stay up, not a baby-"
They cut themselves off with a big yawn. I awed, making jamie whine again.
"Oh I'm sorry bambi, andis sorry"

Jamie flopped their head back down onto the couch arm and covered up their head.
"Andi no know"
They mumbled.
"Andi no know what?"

"Andi no know I'm tired, shhhhh"
Jamie shushed me, sounding almost annoyed and waving a hand at me.

Jamie wasn't making much sense but that was ok in my books, it was so nice to be with them like this. I'd seen them watching all the kiddy shows and they sometimes acted whiney before bed but never like this. I'd never really interacted when Jamie was acting this way.

"Oh are you very tired?"
"M'always tired"
Jamie giggled. I frowned a little.
"Why are you always tired?"
Jamie squirmed and pouted a little.
"Dunno, don wike sweeping buh big kids don sleeps and I'm a big kid!"
"Oh really?"
"Uh huh, no one knows. Part fom Ben, noh even andi!"
Jamie spoke quickly and mumbled but I caught Ben knowing something and me not knowing. I asked

"And what doesn't andi know?"

"Andi tink I'm noh tired, no know"
He sleepily giggled again
"But jamie.. I'm andi"
I smiled but Jamie's face dropped, their bottom lip jutted out and they grabbed their head. They whimpered
"Noooo head all fuzzy!"

I panicked on the inside, thinking frantically of how to fix this. Jamie was talking pretty much gibberish, so I tried playing along.
"But but but! Jamie, I promise not to tell Andi that you're tired, its just between us"

Jamie looked up at me, alot calmer. They pawed at their eyes.
"Yeah?"
"Yeah, how about we get you up to bed."
"Don wanna"
"You don't wanna go up to your nice comfy bed?"
"Nooooo, don wanna sleep. Andi says I can stay up"

"Oh not this late I don't think"
"Buh sleeping scary somtimes"
Jamie said as I carefully pulled them to their feet. They didn't protest as I held them up and started heading upstairs.

I decided to prod about what me and Andrew suspected to be a nightmare as Jamie's been cutely honest when they're tired.
"Were you having a bad dream when you were sleeping there Jamie?"
Jamie nodded and leaned against me sighing.
"Scary dog dweam"
"Oh I'm sorry bambi, do you wanna talk about it?"
"No.. makes me sad"

"Thats ok, how about we talk about what makes you happy then?"
"Like cookin"
"Oh did you enjoy cooking today?"
"Yeah, I make bes' meatballs! Tom said so"
I chuckled
"I thought you weren't a fan of Tom?"
"He like our cooking so he ok"

Jamie mumbled as they leant deeper into my side, almost snuggling and I turned off the hallway into their room.
"Well good food brings people together, did you know that Jamie?"
"Noh-"
Jamie said as I pulled back the duvet of the bed and helped them lie down.
"Buh our food good, so yeah"
Jamie mumbled again before squirming around to get comfy.

"Just gonna do a quick check bambi"
Jamie frowned a little as I pulled their top up just a bit so I could see the top of a pullup sticking out over it. As I had promised before, checks were becoming a regular occurance.
"Perfect jamie"

I pulled the duvet back up over them.
"Andi?"
"Yeah jam?"
I liked the cute little nickname. Jamie looked at me quite seriously.
"There no more scary dogs here?"
I pushed some hair out of their face.
"No bambi, I promise no more scary dogs. You're safe here"
"Safe?"
"Safe"

I afirmed while tucking them in. I stood to leave.
"Night Jamie
"Nigh nigh Andi"

The next morning it was as if nothing happened, Jamie was as normal as ever, with perhaps a little blush on their cheeks. I didn't know what they remembered but they definitely didn't want it brought up.

Last night just left me with a thousand more questions, and I definitely needed to find out some more about this Ben fellow.