What do you do when you look seven years old but you’re actually a college student in your late teens? For Kathleen’s entire life, she had fought against people treating her much younger than her actual age. Feeling obligated to grow up fast to show people she wasn’t the age of her size, Kathleen never let her inner child out. Tired of fighting against the world, she explores the adult submissive world. What she finds, however, is an enjoyment of regression. Had she made a mistake? Would life be better if she just let people treat her the way she looks at seven years old?

Author note: This is the last fully written chapter, 70 is in progress, and sometime this century, I will get it done.

Early in the morning on Wednesday, Heidi was woken up by her aunty shaking the bed and crying. She crawled out of her bed and headed to the room next door where her parents were sleeping. She walked into the room to the side of the bed Mommie was on.

Brianna thought she heard tiny feet walking up to her in her sleep. She opened her eyes and noticed that the door was open. Brianna almost jumped when she saw Heidi was standing right next to her.

“What is wrong, Sweetheart? Did you have a nightmare?”

“No ni’mare. Aunty hab ni’mare. Bed shaking. She crying.”

“What?” Brianna followed Heidi to her sister's room. When they got in there, Katie was sleeping soundly. The older sister could see from the light of the night light that her younger sister's face was tear-streaked. The four-year-old had been correct.

“Aunty Katie’s nightmare is apparently done. How about I tuck you back into bed?” That is precisely what Mommie did for her daughter, and then tip-toed out of the room, closing the door in the process.

A few hours later, Brianna opened the door to where the girls were sleeping and turned on the light.

“Good morning, Mommie,” Heidi said, sitting up in her bed.

“It’s too bright, sis!” Katie exclaimed.

“Sorry, but it is time for both of you to get up and dressed before breakfast. We are opening presents after breakfast.”

Brianna helped the preschooler and short teenager out of bed. The trundle bed was made before being put away to clear up room space.

“Sis, do you want a pull-up or diaper today?”

“Pull-up, please.”

“Lay down on your bed, and I will deal with your bottom.”

Katie laid down on her bed. Brianna unzipped the footie jammie to expose the soaked diaper. She grabbed her sister's feet and lifted the bum. A changing pad was set on the bed to protect the sheets. The wet Huggies size six was swapped for a dry pull-up from the same company.

As the older sister was throwing the baby wipes away, she asked, “Can you dress yourself as I get Heidi dressed?”

“Yes, Sis. Assuming I can find where Papa put stuff.”

Katie opened her closet door as the two Doores left the room. She found the purple dress she wore to the awards ceremony hanging in the closet. Of course, it was hanging above her reach. The short teenager dragged one of the many stools spread around the house to the closet.

Once the dress was lying on the bed, she went to her drawers. Katie opened her underwear drawer. A bunch of ladies' panties were pushed into a pile before she grabbed her heavily padded bra Daddie had custom-ordered for her. The bra was thrown towards the dress. Katie grabbed the pile of panties before closing the drawer.

Heading to the trash, the teenager noticed it had been replaced with a diaper pail. Four months ago, that would have upset her, but now it didn’t seem odd or out of place. She opened the diaper pail and dumped the panties in.

Katie grabbed a lace-trimmed pair of socks from her sock drawer. They were the first thing to go on her. The bra and dress were the final stuff on her. She knew she didn’t have a prayer dealing with the back.

Katie walked out of the room and into the kitchen, “Mom, can you deal with my back?”

Marlene smiled at her teenage daughter and buttoned up the back of the dress. A few minutes later, Heidi walked down the hall, followed by her Mommie. The four-year-old was wearing a green version of the dress?!?! that Katie wore to The Nutcracker?!?!

Katie stared at her niece, “Where did you get that dress, Heidi?”

“Got dress when saw Nut'racker ballet.”

“Oh really?” Katie immediately looked at her sister. “Brianna? What is the story?”

Brianna glanced at her mother and then at her sister, “A mystery invitation arrived at the house soon after Thanksgiving demanding we go to the ballet on the sixteenth. Shoes, tights, and a camisole came with the invitation. We are assuming Mom and Dad were involved somehow. Anyways, on the morning of the sixteenth, Heidi and I were treated to a makeover.”

“Well, Bree, believe it or not, Mom and Dad are not guilty. This time,” Kath smiled and did a quick glance over at her Mom. “I know who did it.”

“Adam?”

“Nope,” the nineteen-year-old was about to reveal the mysterious benefactor but then hesitated. “I am not sure I should say.”

The door took that moment to ring. Mom requests, “Kathleen, can you get the door?”

The short teenager walked to the door to see Daddie?!!? standing there, “DADDIE!?” The short teenager hugged him as he came into the house.

“I am playing the part of your boyfriend today, Buttercup.”

“Ok, D … Adam. That feels weird. No, Sir. That is more like it. You can hang your coat in that closet right there, . . . Sir. I would help you, but I can’t reach the hangers.”

As Katie led Adam to the dining room, he noticed Heidi’s dress, “That dress looks familiar.”

“I thought the same thing, Sir,” Kathleen stated. “Brianna mentioned The Nutcracker, too.”

Sir just shrugged.

Marlene interrupted, “Breakfast is ready. Can everyone head to the table?”

After the short teenager sat down, she was handed a plate with a slice of quiche on it. The family discussion included Katie and Heidi. Unlike when she was regressed, the college student didn’t immediately tune out the conversation. She was even able to add to the discussion.

“Compliments to the cook. That was good,” Adam told the group at the table.

“I can not claim responsibility. Brianna made that,” Mother stated.

After breakfast was done, Heidi grabbed Katie’s hand. “Come, Aunty.” The preschooler was trying to drag her aunt to the Christmas tree.

“I am coming,” Kathleen said while pretending to resist. When they sat on the floor together, The older one started to tickle Heidi. “You can be a brat, sometimes. But I love you just how you are.”

“Eep! No tickle!”

“There is a brat in this room,” Brianna said, coming in and sitting down. “However, it is not my daughter.”

Katie stared at her sister, processing that statement before exclaiming, “Hey!”

Marlene shook her head while looking at both her daughters and the little one who was currently her oldest granddaughter, “All three of you girls behave yourself.”

“Me good girl, Gra’dma. Me on Santa’s Good Girl list,” Heidi said with the cutest smile she could muster.

Smiling at her granddaughter, Marlene grabbed a present and handed it to the precious little thing, “Yes, you are. This is for you, Heidi, from Grandma and Grandpa.”

After Heidi unwrapped her present, a few more presents were grabbed. “For Adam from Kathleen.”

Adam unwrapped the present to see the watch Katie had purchased for him, “Thank you, Buttercup. It will be very useful.”

“For Kathleen from Mom & Dad.”

The college student unwrapped the box to discover an LG Chocolate cell phone, “Thank you, Mom and Dad.”

“I am glad you didn't notice your phone was missing,” Papa mentioned. “While you were at the airport yesterday, I upgraded your phone.”

“I haven't had a reason to look at my phone since I got home. You were busy while we were gone, Papa. Putting my bedroom away and upgrading my phone.”

“That was nothing,” George smiled at his daughter.

“Anyway, thank you, Papa. I also haven't seen my keys,” Katie explained while looking at Adam.

“I don’t know what you are talking about, young lady,” Adam stated with an expressionless face.”I left them in your bedroom yesterday.”

“They are in the basket where keys belong, Kathleen,” Papa said.

While blushing, Kath apologized, “Sorry, Sir.”

After a gift from the Doore family to her parents, Kath was rewarded with another gift. This time, it was a heavy gift from Adam. Kathleen opened it to discover a new laptop, “Thank you, Sir. This will come in very handy at college.”

“You are welcome, Buttercup.”

Heidi was given a gift. Brianna read the tag, “To Heidi. From Aunt Kathleen.” The four-year-old tore into it to discover the art easel she had asked for. She got up and tackle-hugged her Aunty.

“Eep. I am guessing you loved your gift,” Aunty Kath said while sitting both of them up.

“Me do, Aunty,” Heidi bear hugged her aunt.

“To Mom & Dad from Kathleen.”

The two parents opened their gift to reveal a dinner for two at a nice restaurant in town. Mom said while hugging her daughter, “Thank you, Kathleen.”

A gift later, Adam got an extremely thin present. Inside, he discovered a folder. Opening the folder, he pulled out a paper. The paper was a modification to the contract, giving him permission to spank his daughter with his hand when she was naughty. Reading it, he noticed that it also allowed paddles, spoons, and hairbrushes.

Adam stared at the paper with a straight face. Katie was confused about how he wasn't happy. Finally, he said, “Buttercup, thank you, but you are aware this activates clause ten in the contract?”

Kathleen gave Adam a quizzical expression and then looked over at her parents, “Mom and Dad, where is your copy of the contract?”

“In the office filing cabinet, bottom drawer,” Dad informed.

Kath headed to the filing cabinet and pulled out the drawer. She flipped through the manila folders to find the one holding the contract bits. She scanned it and found clause ten. Clause ten dealt with modifications and said modification of the contract would invoke a double clause nine for the person who requested it. Clause nine appeared to say that since she requested the modification, she was to get a very hard spanking as punishment for the request.

Kathleen realized she basically agreed to get her butt greatly punished for giving Sir the privilege to spank her when she was ‘naughty.’ But, even worse, it was a double clause nine, so she would get two of those punishments. She walked back to the Christmas tree with a red face and a forced smile.

Seeing Kathleen return, Brianna stood up and held out her hand, “Heidi, time to go use the potty.”

“Me no hab to go.”

Brianna grabbed her daughter’s hand, “Come on, you’re going to try anyways.”

Heidi just shrugged and took her Mommy’s hand.

Once they were gone, Katie commented, “I guess I need to get my butt punished to give you the right to spank me.”

“When I wrote that contract, I assumed any modification would be something that would weaken the contract. I didn't expect you to do something like this modification.”

“I consent and will still sign it. Grandpa worked very hard on it. Pain is only temporary,” Kathleen stated while wondering why Grandpa Olsen didn’t point out to her that the change she wanted to make would activate clause ten. Then she realized that as a nineteen-year-old, she probably should have already known that, and it wasn’t Grandpa Olsen’s fault. It was hers.

Adam just shrugged and put the folder down.

Later, when Heidi and her Mommy returned, Marlene returned to her job of handing out presents “For Bobbie Jo from Aunt Kathleen.”

Brianna helped her youngest daughter unwrap the gift. It was this year's version of Tickle Me Elmo. Katie was surprised she could even find one in a store. The short teenager remembered back a decade ago when there were fist fights in stores over that toy.

“That was the last present,” Mom said.

Kathleen gave Mom a quizzical expression as she looked between Mom and the tree, “There are more presents under the tree?”

“Those are for someone who is not here,” Mom responded.

Katie racked her brain. She couldn't figure out any family members missing, so with a confused look, she said, “Oh?”

“Let's go find her,” the older lady then picked up her youngest daughter.

“Eep!” Kathleen exclaimed as she was carried away.

“Entertain yourselves,” Marlene said to the others. “We will be back.”

Kath was carried to her bedroom, where she was stripped completely. Her pull-up was switched to a diaper. The short teenager realized the person missing was regressed her. That meant the four presents still under the tree were for her.

Katie’s tights and socks were returned to her legs. Her binder soon appeared on her chest. Grandma went to the closet and unzipped a dress bag. Granny requested that Katie stand up and raise her hands. The red striped dress from the regressed girl’s Nutcracker trip was dropped over her head. The dress sash was tied behind Katie, and a red bow was clipped on her head. As Grandma was throwing the pull-up away in the diaper pail, she noticed the panties. She decided to keep her mouth closed about this fact right now.

“Let's go open your presents, my granddaughter.” Grandma held her hand and directed her out of the bedroom.

Aunty and Heidi looked shocked at Katie’s dress. “Adam, where did Katie get that dress?”

“It was provided when she got a makeover before seeing The Nutcracker.”

Heidi and Katie were cuddling while this discussion was happening.

“Sounds very familiar,” Brianna stared at her Mother.

While laughing, Adam said, “She is innocent of all charges. The guilty party apparently has adopted your family.”

“If not Gran’ma Doore or Granny Telgenhof, who?” Heidi asked.

“It is a Grandma but not one of those two, cousin,” Katie mentioned.

“Me hab anoder, Granny?” Heidi's eyes suddenly got big. “Gran’ma Olsen!”

Katie tapped Heidi on the nose, “Ding ding, we have a winner!”

Aunty Brianna mumbled, “I must thank her.”

“She will deny it was her,” Adam mentioned. “Several of the eight people who got tickets to The Nutcracker tried to get her to admit it, but she wouldn’t. Six of those individuals got matching dresses and makeovers, and she has denied involvement in that as well.”

Grandma interrupted as she handed the regressed girl a wrapped box, “Anyway. To Katie from the Doore family.”

Katie unwrapped it to reveal a ‘My Little Pony Crystal Princess Ballet.’ As joy and excitement bubbled up inside of Katie, she was surprised at how much a little kid's toy made her happy. That gift was replaced with a suspiciously familiar-sized box. The tag said it was from Grandma and Grandpa. The wrapping paper was ripped off to show the third American Girl doll the regressed girl got this Christmas. It was Nellie, the best friend to her Samantha doll.

The regressed girl got another box handed to her. Again, it was from her grandparents. Underneath the wrapping paper was the Mermaid Castle from the Lego’s Belville line.

With glee, Katie thanked her grandparents. As Grandma picked up the fourth box, Katie set the Lego off to the side.

“To Heidi, Bobbie Jo, and Katie from Santa Claus,” Grandma said.

Katie was handed her youngest cousin. Heidi was given the box and opened it. Heidi frowned at what it was. It was a box of crackers.

“Crackers. Just what I wanted, Santa,” Katie teased while grabbing the box. She opened the cracker box and pulled out a piece of paper. She read, “Heidi, Bobbie Jo, and Katie are invited to join Stacie, Megan, and Tina at Disney World at a later date that works with Riverville schools, Mountain College, Clearwater schools, and Madison schools.”

Katie obviously already knew about that gift since she read an almost identical letter on Christmas day. Heidi was very excited, however. Bobbie Jo was excited because her sister was excited.

The doorbell at the Rose house rang late morning Wednesday. Alexa opened the door to discover Lauren Anker, the five-year-old girl from across the street.

“Hello, Mrs. Rose,” Lauren said. “Megan can play?”

Alexa, with surprise on her face, invited the girl in. She knew that Lauren knew of Megan since the young girl was at the bowling alley. How Megan and Mike were connected would have to be investigated later. “In case Megan is not available, is Mike ok?”

“Yes,” the young girl said with a slight frown.

Alexa could read between the lines. The girl really wants Megan. But she would settle for Mike. Leaving the young girl at the door and walking down the hall, she stuck her head in the playroom. The mother looked at her two kids and knocked on the door to get attention, “Megan, Lauren would like to know if you want to play.”

Mike set down the Dublo in his hand. He looked at his boy clothes before saying, “I can. I need to change.”

“All you need is your wig.”

“No! I want to wear the pink horse sweatshirt.”

“I think it is clean. Let's go to your bedroom, Princess.”

Mommie lifted the requested pink sweatshirt off of the closet shelf. Meanwhile, Megan had removed her football sweatshirt. Once Mommie handed her the pink sweatshirt, the five-year-old little girl put it on.

Mom brushed the messed up brown hair with her hand before grabbing the wig off its stand. She sat the wig on the girl's head before attaching it to the short hair.

Nervously walking into the living room, the little girl was greeted with “Megan!”

Meekly, “Hi, Lauren.”

“You play?”

“Sure.”

“My house?”

“Mommie?”

Alexa looked at her daughter and her neighbor girl and shrugged. She went to the closet and got Megan’s coat out. “I want you to behave yourself at the neighbors, Princess.”

“Yes, Mommie,” as Megan was helped into the coat.

Alexa watched the two girls as they walked across the road. After the girls were inside the Anker house, she went back into her own home. She wasn't sure if she should be happy or nervous about this new friendship.

Inside the Anker house, Lauren headed to where her toys were. Rachel Anker greeted her daughter and the girl she hadn’t seen before. “Who is your friend, Lauren?”

“Megan.”

“Megan, what is your last name?”

“Rose, Mrs. Anker.”

Rachel looked at the girl with a shocked look on her face. She could see the resemblance to the neighbor boy, Mike. As the girls headed to the playroom, she said to her husband, “Steve, I am going across the street to talk to Alexa. Lauren has a friend over.”

Back at the Telgenhof house, after a lunch of roast beef, Heidi and Katie were directed to Katie's room by Brianna. The parent promptly diapered both girls. A fresh diaper in Katie’s case.

“Mommie, it no bed time, why di'per?”

“We are going to take a long drive. You know you need a diaper when we are traveling.”

“Yes, Mommie.”

As Brianna dropped the diapers in the diaper pail, she noticed there were things in there that were not diapers. The matching cousins were then directed to the car by Aunty. Once Heidi was strapped in and Katie's seat belt was done, Grandma gave both of them their activity bags. The oldest one and Aunty Brianna got in the front seat.

When they pulled out of the driveway, Katie asked, “Where are we going, Grandma?”

“It is a surprise.”

Since that is how most of Katie’s life is nowadays, she just shrugged it off and smiled at Heidi. The two cousins watched the countryside through the windows. The older cousin tried to figure out where they were heading. When Katie saw a sign for US 322 South, she figured they were heading southeastward out of town. She racked her brain to figure out where they could be headed that way.

Shrugging, she opened her bag to grab Samantha’s book four, which was the next book she hadn’t read. Glancing at her cousin, who was ignoring the world and coloring, she settled down to read her story.

After jumping feet first in the world of Samantha’s Birthday, after a while, she noticed they were now on an expressway. She had a suspicion about which one. It wouldn’t make sense to head down 322 to get on 80. Looking at the clock, the regressed teenager did the mental math and figured there was no way they could have gotten to 76 in that amount of time. The expressway had to be 99, but if they were headed southward or northward, she hadn’t a clue.

Setting her finished book aside, Katie noticed they were turning off the expressway. Grandma eventually turned into a parking lot. Straining to look outside the window, the regressed girl saw they were at a big building, almost like an arena.

The two girls were helped out of the car after they parked. Aunty Brianna grabbed both girls' hands and led them to the building.

It was Heidi who saw the sign first, she exclaimed, “Princesses! Tinkerbell!”

As Katie read the sign out loud, mostly for her cousin’s benefit, she started to get excited, “Disney on Ice. Princess Wishes.”

Grandma led the small family into the building. An officer was just inside of the door. He requested to inspect the bags.

Steven, the security guard, looked at the family that was in front of him. It was the typical grandma, mother, and two young girls who looked like sisters that frequent this show. The two girls were in cute, contrasting, but matching Christmas dresses. The two older ladies handed her two purses and a backpack. The purses had the typical woman’s stuff. Turning to the backpack next, he found two cameras, some stuff to keep the girls busy, four water bottles, and a diaper bag. Steven pulled the diaper bag out to inspect it. The guard figured it was for the cute little one that looked to be about two years old.

Katie felt her face get very warm as she noticed the security guard inspecting her diaper bag.

As the officer inspected the bag, he saw the regular diaper-changing supplies. Glancing at the diapers in it, there were big and small diapers. He expected the younger girl to need diapers, but the larger diapers were obviously too big for her. Glancing at the face of the very embarrassed older girl confirmed his suspicions. After stuffing the diaper bag back in the backpack, Steve handed them back. He said, “Everything seems to be in order, ladies.”

The older lady paused as she was digging in her purse after they were past security. Pulling out something, she directed the family towards a ticket taker. “Hi, two adults, two girls.”

“Enjoy the show, ladies,” he responded as he handed the ticket stubs back and four programs.

Once properly inside the building, Aunty took charge and directed the family towards the bathroom. The three of them headed to the accessible stall. Finding it locked, they didn’t have to wait long until some lady with her daughter in a wheelchair left the stall.

Brianna led her niece into the stall and then laid a changing pad on the ground. Katie, without prompting, laid down on it. After a quick diaper change, the young girl was allowed to get up. Heidi was next to get fresh padding. The two girls waited patiently while Aunty did her business. Leaving the stall, they joined Grandma, who was waiting for them.

The extended family soon were heading toward their seats. They had good box seats with a great view. Grandma told the two girls, “I want you to thank your Uncle Adam and Daddie for paying part of the cost of these seats.”

“Yes, Grandma.” … “Yes, Granny.”

“Part? How about most of the cost,” barely audible, Brianna mumbled.

Katie decided to keep herself busy until the show began by looking at the program. Heidi was coloring to pass the time. A flash went off, and Katie looked past Heidi to Grandma, who was putting her camera away.

Suddenly, the arena lights went dark, and Tinkerbell skated out to start the show.

Soon after Mickey, Minnie, and Goofy waved goodbye and skated off the ice, the house lights turned on. After Katie stood up, she felt her bottom being squeezed. The four girls slowly followed the horde out of the arena seating.

“Mother, I will be back,” Brianna mentioned when she spotted the family restroom. “These two girls need to visit the restroom.”

Brianna tried the handle and found it locked. A small line formed behind the four of them since Grandma had joined them in line.

After a family vacated the restroom, Brianna led her two charges into the bathroom. Heidi, who was dry, had her diaper pulled down so she could use the toilet while the adult lifted Katie onto a large changing table that was built into the wall. After Katie was dry and Heidi was done, Aunty pulled Heidi's diaper up, making sure it would not leak on the way home. Aunty used the toilet before leading the two younguns out of the room.

The small family stopped at the souvenir stand on the way out. Grandma told the lady behind the sales counter, “Can I please get two of those Princess Wishes t-shirts? One in 3T, and the other one in size seven eight, please.”

“That will be twenty-eight dollars and eighty cents with tax.” the lady said while bagging the two shirts.

After the cash was exchanged, the bag was handed over to Granny. She then joined her daughter, where she was waiting with the girls. Heading to the car, the older lady helped the regressed teenager into her booster seat while Heidi was helped into her child’s seat.

“Well, I think we should get food before heading back home, Mom.” Brianna mentioned while pointing nearby down the road, “How about that Perkins over there?”

“Sounds good to me, Sweetie.”

At the restaurant, the two girls were helped out and led inside. Granny said to the host, “Two adults and two kids, a highchair for one of them, please.”

“Children's menu and crayons for both of them?”

“Yes, please,” Aunty said.

At the table, as the two girls were helped out of their coats, the hostess exclaimed quietly to herself but loud enough to be heard, “How cute!”

The hostess walked into the waitress station, “Mary, you have a family at 34. You will love to see the cute matching dresses the sisters are wearing.”

“Thank you, Sara.”

“Hello, Ladies, my name is Mary. What can I get you to drink?” She looked at the cute contrasting dresses and smiled at the girls.

“Do you have peach tea?” Brianna asked.

“No, sorry, we don’t.”

“In that case, the girl in the red dress will have your unsweetened iced tea. The other one in green will have your lemonade. Both with lids, please. I will have a black coffee.”

“Would you like creamer with that?”

“Yes, please.”

“And you, Ma’am?”

“I will have a hot tea, please.”

As the waitress walked away, Aunty asked, “Katie, please stop coloring for a second and tell me what you want?”

“The chicken strips with tots,” Katie said while looking at her sister, who immediately raised an eyebrow at her. “Please.”

“And you, cupcake?”

“Grilled cheese,” Heidi looked at Katie before turning back. “Please, Mommie.”

After a bit, the waitress returned, “Are you ladies ready to order?”

“The red angel will have your chicken strips with tots. The green princess will have your grilled cheese with applesauce. I will have your meatloaf with corn, please.”

“Two girls' meals come with a choice of chocolate chip cookie, sugar cookie, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.”

“Katie?”

“Ice cream, please, Aunty.”

“Heidi?”

“Ice cream, Mommie.”

“Thank you, Miss. And you, Ma’am.”

Granny ordered before the waitress left.

“Sara,” Mary said as she entered the order into the computer. “Though they look like carbon copies of each other, except for their ages, they are actually cousins.”

Sara tried to discreetly look at the two girls. She exclaimed, “No, they have to be sisters.”

“I am not pulling your leg. The older one called the lady aunty, and the younger one called her mommie. I am assuming the oldest is grandma to both, though.”

Sara just shrugged and turned to the group entering the lobby. “Welcome to Perkins. Six?”

Katie, who still hadn’t a clue where they were located, tried to watch signs as they got on the expressway. It was getting too dark to read anyway. She thought she saw a North I 99 sign flash outside the window. She looked towards Heidi and saw that her cousin was drifting asleep. The regressed girl decided to follow the younger girl’s example.

Brianna had a motto, ‘Don’t worry when they are noisy. Worry when they are totally quiet.’ Since she was not hearing any noise from the back seat, she quickly looked behind her from the front passenger seat. Seeing both girls asleep with her daughter catching flies, she smiled, “They are both asleep, Mom.”

“I happened to see that in the rearview mirror. Did you get Heidi in a night-time diaper during that last potty trip before getting in the car, or are we going to be dealing with a wet car seat when we get home?”

“Yeah, she has been diapered since we left home. She has managed to keep it dry all day, but now that she is falling asleep, I am sure that will change,” Brianna confirmed as she looked at the two sleeping kids. “Mom, I don’t know why, but treating Kath like a young girl just feels right somehow.”

“She spends more of her time as a seven-year-old than her real age. Even when she can be nineteen, she spends most of the time regressed.”

“I remember her spending a lot of energy to appear older than her age, all in an effort to get people to stop treating her much younger than her age. Now, it’s the exact opposite. She is acting younger than the age she looks.”

“She did spend most of her life fighting to appear adult. I think Adam allowed her to see that it was easier to just stop fighting it.” Mom paused. “It did seem right when I saw how happy she was at Thanksgiving, and did you see her when she got those little kids' toys? She was more excited by those than the nineteen-year-old gifts.”

“Yeah, I saw that, but I don’t understand it. Just like I don’t understand why I keep treating her younger than Heidi. On this trip, I made Heidi try to use the potty several times, but I never once even considered asking Katie to. At the restaurant, the high chair came with a bib. Heidi doesn’t need one, but I almost put it on Katie. Treating her so little when she is regressed just seems like the right thing to do.”

“When she came home yesterday, she actually indirectly asked me what age she was expected to be. She asked if I was Mom or Grandma.”

“Does she really ‘grow up’ at college between trips to Riverville.”

Marlene just shrugged at her oldest daughter, “She admits that she wears diapers to bed every night at college, and she isn’t allowed to put the diapers on or take them off. So, somebody is changing her like a baby twice a day.”

“Will encouraging the seven-year-old hurt her?”

“I don’t think regressing hurts her. In college, her grades are outstanding, even better than yours were. From what I have read, regression like she is doing, can be a way to relieve stress. I am more worried about her nightmares.”

“Yes, Heidi scared me awake this morning, standing over my bed. She told me that Aunty was crying.”

“Was she?”

“When I got back to the room with her, Katie was sleeping again, but her face was tear-streaked.”

“Adam told me it was bad, but I really didn’t understand.”

“She needs help. I really need to read that note. She never had a nightmare before the attack.”

“Katie is taking weekly counseling because of the attack.”

“That is good.”

“Kathleen has plans to bring in the new year with her best friends, Ann and Zoe. That reassures me that she hasn’t totally regressed into a seven-year-old. It will be good for her to spend some time with her old friends and remember what it’s like to be nineteen.”

Brianna sat in silence as she was figuring out how to tackle the next subject, “Mom, when I was changing the girls before the trip, I noticed a pile of panties in the diaper pail. Did you or Adam throw her panties away?”

“I noticed them when I changed her from Kathleen to Katie. I didn't do it. As far as I know, Adam never went near Kath’s bedroom today. If he threw them away, he had to do it yesterday when he dropped off her stuff.”

“No,” Brianna countered. “The panties weren't there last night. Didn't he use the bathroom?”

“Yes, the half bath. Not the toilet near bedrooms.”

“If it wasn't us two or Adam, that leaves just one person.” Brianna pointed out, looking at her little sister sleeping in her booster seat.

“You are correct.” Marlene looked in the mirror at the guilty party behind her.

“But why?”

“I would assume she figures she will never need them again.”

“Dad and Jim, will you help us with two sleeping girls?”

The two guys came out and carried both of the cousins to Katie's bedroom. Once the two girls were laid on Katie's bed, the two guys left the room.

After everyone left but Brianna, the adult turned to Katie’s pillow and grabbed the two footed jammies the girls wore the night before, which were underneath the pillow. Setting them on the bed, she also grabbed two diapers, which were sized to fit each of the girls. The older lady also grabbed the diaper supplies.

Aunty turned to her sleeping sister-turned-niece and started to strip her. The older one was surprised that with all the moving she was doing, Katie never woke up. When the older of the two girls was down to her diaper, she turned to her daughter. Heidi also didn’t wake up when she was stripped. Leaving the two girls naked except for their underwear, she hung up the two dresses.

Returning to the bed, she set to switch diapers and dress her daughter in her jammies. Setting the sleeping girl at the foot of the bed, she turned to her sibling. Just like Heidi, she quickly changed the wet diaper to a dry one before dressing her in the princess footies.

The Aunty pulled back the covers and tucked Katie in her bed. Pausing to pull out the trundle bed, she picked up Heidi and tucked her in. She turned off the light as she left the room.

“Dad?” Brianna asked in the family room.

“Yes, Sweetie?”

“Can I see that note about Katie’s attack, Please.”

“Yes, let me get it from the office.” George walked out of the room. After he returned, “Here, you go, Sweetie.”

“Who is Denise Schneider? Who is Laura? I only know about Stacy, who was at Adam’s house on Black Friday.”

“I haven’t met either one, but I am told Denise works at Mountain College. She is also obviously the parent of Laura. Laura is another friend of Katie’s young side. I am told they met at a costume party.”

“Please tell me this lady faced some punishment.”

“She was charged with kidnapping and aggravated assault. Adam also demanded 1500 bucks payable to Jane Doe so as not to sue her.”

“How much of that money did Katie get?”

“All of it. I saw it hit her account. I am told she is also owed 500 dollars from the school.”

“Usually, lawyers want a fee.”

“Yes, but most people aren’t dating a lawyer.”

“That is true.”

“Your sister approved a plea bargain last week.”

“For what? Why Katie and not Adam giving the approval?”

“I am told because she is really nineteen, the decision must come from Kathleen. She approved a misdemeanor charge of aggravated assault. Five years house arrest with work release. Also, a fine of 5000, payable to the battered women’s shelter. ”

“Don’t fines usually go to the court system.”

“I am assuming Adam was involved in redirecting that fine.”

“Well, Dad, Jim is already in the bedroom. I better join him before he locks me out. Goodnight, Dad.”

George looked around as he hugged his oldest daughter. “Marlene seems to have disappeared too. I bet she is in the bedroom, too. Goodnight Sweetheart.”