Chapter 47: Steve

Sarah was down changing Dave when there was a knock at the door. I hesitated a moment, then got up and answered it. It was Ashley and her mom. "Hi. Come on in."

"Hello Steve, where are Dave and Sarah?" Judy asked.

"Sarah's changing him, they should be back soon."

When I said that, Ashley turned to walk down the hallway. "Ashley come back here," Judy said.

She turned around and walked back pouting just a bit. I chuckled a little at the look on her face and she stuck her tongue out at me. I responded in kind and then she giggled a little.

We went and sat down in the living room. Judy asked, "How is Dave doing?"

I sighed, "Better than he was this morning. He spent a long time just being cuddled, and then all three of us had a long talk. It was a bit exhausting, and very stressful. Dave is scared almost all the time he is out by himself, and this attack just made it worse."

Ashley gasped, and Judy asked, "Is there anything we can do to help him?"

"I don't know. I do know that he is one of the bravest people I know though."

Ashley got a really puzzled look on her face, "That doesn't make sense. How can he be brave if he always scared?"

Before I could answer her mom said, "Because even though he is scared, he keeps going on. You remember when he gave Thor that big chew toy?"

Ashley smiled, "Of course, it was the first time I saw him in a diaper."

"Well he's doing the same thing all the time. Going out and facing what scares him," Judy finished.

"I have a question for the two of you. Have either of ever just watched Sarah feed Dave a bottle?"

Judy shook her head, "I don't think I've ever even been around when that happened. Why?"

"I've seen it lots of times, but we're usually talking or doing stuff."

"I don't really want to say, but if you get a chance, just watch them and keep quiet," I said.

Just then, I heard Dave call out, "Ashley," although his voice sounded a little different. Ashley jumped up and squealed out "Sissy."

I must have winced or something, because as Ashley ran to Dave, Judy said, "Are you OK?"

"Um, I just have a hard time with someone calling Dave 'Sissy.' I'll explain later."

Ashley, Dave, and Sarah came into living room and Sarah said, "Let's go outside and enjoy the rest of the day."

Dave got a slightly pained look on his face. Sarah gave him a squeeze on his shoulder and said it would be OK.

Ashley grabbed Dave's hand and pulled him towards the door. We followed them out and sat down on the porch while Thor, Ashley and Dave went out into the grass and started playing.

I was staring at the three of them playing and laughing in the yard. It was strange to see Dave acting this way. We had gone out and played with a Frisbee or soccer ball, but I always had the impression that he was only doing it because I dragged him out. I did drag him, but he needed to get out more.

"Steve, earth to Steve," I vaguely heard someone say.

"What?"

Judy was staring at me, "I asked you a question. You said you had a hard time with people calling Dave Sissy. I was wondering why."

"Oh, that." I went on to tell her about the jerk in the dorms our freshman year.

We chatted for a while and when I looked back over at them, Thor was missing. I gave Dave a questioning look. He said that Thor had gone to play with the other kids. That made me chuckle.

Sarah asked me what I was laughing at. I told her what Dave had said about 'other kids.' That got a little laugh out of both of them.

"Steve, when Dave came out this morning as Sissy you surprised me." Sarah said.

"Hmm, how so?"

"Well, not only did you accept him, but you actually held him and cuddled him and acted like nothing strange was happening. I know you said it was because he was your friend, but doesn't that go a bit beyond friendship?"

I heard Judy gasp, as I sat there for a moment, and then looked at her. "Maybe it does, but I really didn't have a choice. I could have given him a hug and let you hold him all morning, but that would have hurt him. He would have wondered if I really accepted him that way."

Judy asked, "What was he wearing?"

I started to answer, "This pink dress thing. I don't know what you call it."

Sarah laughed, "It was a pink romper dress. Something you might see on a two year old. I don't think anyone but me has seen him in that until today. It is about the most immature clothes he has."

"I hadn't realized that," I said. "Back to what I was saying. My second choice was to completely reject him. If I had done that, it probably would have been easier to just shoot him then, myself. I like Dave too much to have done that to him. So I held him and fed him and cuddled him and did what was necessary to reassure him."

I stood up, stretched and looked down where Dave and Ashley were sitting. They would have looked like twins, except for their hair color. Seeing them sitting there gave me an idea. I turned and asked Judy if I could do something to Ashley that might surprise her. She said OK.

I caught Dave's eye, and put a finger up to my lips. I crept up behind Ashley, reached down grabbed her under her arms and then picked her up and tossed her into the air. She squealed and when she came down, I tossed her again giving her a twist as I did. This time I caught her held her up on my hip.

She grabbed me and held on, "That wasn't nice."

"But was it fun?"

"Yes. Hey you smell like a girl."

Dave started laughing and was rolling around on the ground. "I had to take a shower and use Sarah's soap because someone peed all over me."

That got Dave to stop laughing. I set Ashley down and said, "So Cecelia do you want try that?"

"Um…"

Ashley said, "You have too Sissy, it was fun."

"OK, just don't drop me."

"I won't, now sit up." He sat up and I tossed him into the air, maybe a bit higher that I had tossed Ashley. I tossed him a second time and caught him like I had Ashley.

He said, "You do smell like a girl."

"That's because after I showered and put on a clean shirt, someone cried all over it and made it soggy."

"Hey," he said.

I put him down. "So what were you talking about?"

Ashley spoke up, "He was telling me about today."

"Oh, did he tell you about my brilliant idea?"

"I hadn't got that far yet." We sat down and talked about the books, Ashley didn't look real interested. I guess she wasn't a big fan of airplanes.

Dave was still talking enthusiastically when we heard a woof. All of us looked over and saw Thor walking up to us. He came up and sat down next to Dave, who gave him a hug.

Dave looked at Ashley and asked, "Can you go get Thor's water bowl?"

"OK," she said as she jumped up and ran to get it.

"Ah, the energy of youth," I said. I laid back on the grass relaxing. "Oof," I said as a heavy weight landed on my chest, a wet tongue licking my face told me it was Thor and not Dave. I wrestled him off of me and let him go when Ashley called him.

Once Joe and Bob showed up, we got Sarah's grill going and supper was cooked. After dinner we sat down to chat in Sarah's living room.

I noticed after a while, that something was wrong with Ashley. I leaned over and whispered to her, "what's wrong?"

She whispered back, "Nothing."

"Come on, you can tell me."

"It's… just that everyone is holding Sissy, and no one is…"

"No one is holding or hugging you?"

She nodded. "Well climb into my lap and I'll give you a hug."

She climbed into my lap, and I gave her a hug and held her like I had held Dave earlier. When Dave moved to the next person, she wriggled free and picked someone else to sit in their lap. From then on both of them moved from lap to lap getting hugs and cuddling.

Eventually we called it a night. I changed back into the clothes I had worn that morning and got my helmet and jacket from Dave's. Ashley wanted to stay at Sarah's that night, but her mom said no. I told Dave I would come by tomorrow afternoon. He seemed happy about that.

I rode home a bit distracted, not the best way to ride but nothing bad happened. Dave's change into Cecelia had surprised me, but my reaction surprised me even more. If someone had asked me a week ago how I would have reacted to my friend dressing and acting like a baby girl, I would have never said that I would act like it was normal.

Chapter 48: Dave

After everyone left, Sarah carried me down to the nursery, and got me ready for bed. I was laying in my crib and said to Sarah, "Sarah? Do I have to go for my walk tomorrow?"

She turned around, "No Dave, you don't have to go for your walk tomorrow. No one will ever make you go on your walk again. But if you want, some one will always be there to walk with you."

"OK. Goodnight Sarah."

"Goodnight."

I thought for a long time before falling asleep. Was I ever going to go for my walks again?

Saturday was great, it almost made me forget what had happened. Saturday morning Sarah treated me as a baby. I did nothing, and wasn't under the stress that I was Friday. All afternoon, Ashley and Steve were there, we played video games, and played outside with Thor.

The evening ended early, at least for Steve. Ashley had brought clothes and her homework. Once it was down to just the three, four with Thor, of us, she tried the same thing with Sarah, as she had with me. She still wanted to see what it was like wearing a diaper. Sarah told her that she had two conditions. First she would call and ask her parents and second Ashley would have to follow the same rules as me. That meant that she would have wear diapers the whole time and the bathroom was off limits. Ashley changed her mind then.

Sunday was even better, I helped Ashley with her homework, then we played the rest of the day. After dinner she went home, and after talking with Sarah for a while I took my notes on the books and Thor home with me.

I spent the rest of the evening talking to Thor. He didn't answer much, an occasional woof, but talking out what I had been thinking about. I had made my decision.

Monday I got up, and after a bit of delay, I put on a diaper and got dressed. I sighed and looked at Thor, "Come on Thor, we're going for a walk."

Thor woofed, and we went out the door. Thor turned to walk the way we usually did, but I called him over as we went around the other way. I started out briskly and we quickly made our way passed the field where it happened. I saw a couple of people out and about during my walk and they all waved and smiled at me. I waved back.

When I got to Mrs. Parks house, she was just bringing out a blanket and toys for the twins. This time I led Thor over to the yard. I was surprised when a man carried the twins out of the house. Then my brain clicked on, if there was a Mrs. Parks, there was probably a Mr. Parks too.

Thor woofed at the twins, and they twisted their heads around to look for him. They cried out together, "Doggie," when they saw him. A moment later and they cried out "Davey," right after that.

Mr. Parks walked over and looked at me, "So you're the famous Dave."

Before I could say anything, Mrs. Parks said, "Dave, this is my husband, George. George this is Dave."

"It's nice to meet you George." I almost stuck out my hand, but instead stuck out both of them and took one toddler from him.

"Thanks, it's hard to put them both down. What brings you out here?"

"Oh, I was going for my walk, and when I saw Susan bringing out stuff for the twins to come out I figured I would stop by. Thor likes to play with them."

"I thought Thor belonged to, ah, that guy that mows all over."

"Bob? Yeah Thor belongs to him, but I think that Thor believes that I belong to him. He rarely lets me out of his sight, while I am out."

We sent the twins down on the blanket, and Thor submitted to their petting and climbing on him. George stuck out his hand and we shook. "Well I have to go to work. It was nice to meet you, Dave," he said and he walked over to his car after giving his wife a kiss goodbye.

We watched him leave, and Susan looked over at me, "Do you want to talk?"

She sat down on her chair and I sat down next her. "I guess so." I told her what had happened Friday, and everything that followed it.

Once I had finished, she looked at me. "Even after all that, you still went out for your walk this morning, and all alone?"

"I guess that I needed to," I answered. I paused and thought about it, "No, I had to. If I hadn't I'd have spent the rest of my life sitting in my home afraid to go out."

She looked closely at me, "So, are you saying that you aren't afraid?"

I laughed, "I'm terrified. Every noise scares me." I looked over at the twins and whispered, "I'm wet, and I'm not sure if I'll ever make it through my walk without that happening again."

"Are you afraid right now?"

"Just a little. I feel safer with you."

She laughed, "Dave, I'm about your age, a little taller than you, and I doubt that I could do anything to save you from anyone."

I blurted out without really thinking, "But you're an adult."

She laughed even louder, "So are you Dave."

"Sometimes, no most of the time, I don't think so."

She stopped laughing, "What do you mean?"

"The only time I really feel like an adult is when I am working. Even then, if Thor is with me I only sorta feel like one. The rest of the time, I am not really sure what I feel like. No that's not entirely true. When Ashley and I are playing, I think I feel like a kid, but I am not sure what being a kid really feels like. When Sarah and I are, ah playing. You know what we do?"

She nodded, "A bit, and it's OK."

"Well, I definitely don't feel like an adult then. I don't even really feel like an adult, when I am out walking with Thor."

"Have you talked to anyone about this?"

"I'd never thought about it before. I'm not even sure who to talk with about this."

"Not me, even though I got you to think about it."

"No, not you. I'll have to think about it. Now though I'm going to go play with your kids."

"Go have fun."

I rolled over and crawled over to the blanket where they were playing with Thor. I joined them and felt myself relaxing, the tension from walking around slipping away.

We'd been playing for a little while, and were now playing horsey, with me as the horsey, when all of the sudden which ever twin wasn't on my back said, "Davey. Diapee?"

The other one twisted around, "Davey diapee!"

I looked back and saw that my pants had slipped down, and my diaper was sticking out. I'm not sure why but this made me feel horrible. I looked over at Susan, and she must have seen something in my face.

"Boys," she said. The two of them looked at her. "Yes Davey wears diapers."

This didn't really make me feel any better, and what one of them said next nearly put me over the top. "Davey baby?"

"No, Davey is not a baby. He just wears diapers."

"Davey not baby? OK. Giddy up, horsey."

I 'giddy upped' and we went on playing for a while. I kept trying to pull up my pants, but with one of them on back and me on my hands and knees, I couldn't do it. I kept looking around, hoping no one else would show up. Eventually our play ended and I helped Susan gather up everything.

Just before we carried them in, Jason, at least I think it was Jason, said, "Davey wet, mommy change."

I'm not sure how he knew I was wet, or if he just guessed because he was, but Susan said, "It's OK, Sarah will change Davey."

"Sawah Davey mommy?"

"No, Sarah is my, ah, sitter," I said hoping to end this before it got out of hand.

Jacob, or at least the other twin, piped up, "Sawah good babysittew."

"Yes she is," I blushed. "Bye bye."

They waved and I got out of there.

The rest of the week, went much like Monday. I did notice that there seemed to be more people outside than usual. I normally saw two or three people out and about, but this week it seemed like six or seven every day.

I called all my friends and asked if we could meet Sunday afternoon. Everyone said they'd be there, but Bob, he was working until that evening.

Sunday, I finally decided to confront Sarah about what was going on. I went over just before the others were going to show up.

Sarah invited me in, and we went and sat down. "So, I heard that you are out walking in the mornings."

"Yes, I had to, it was that or live the rest of my life in my home." I told her my reasoning and about the talk I had with Susan Parks. Sarah sat there listening, and when I finished she got up and gave me a hug.

I told her about the Parks twins finding out that I was wearing diapers, and now they think she changes my diapers. We laughed about that, and she asked me if I needed a change.

Finally I asked her about what I had come over about. "Sarah, have you asked people to be outside when I go for my walks?"

She looked surprised, "No. What do you mean?"

I explained about seeing so many new and different people outside while I am walking. All of them waving or saying hello. I didn't really mind, but I didn't want them to mess up their schedules just to watch me.

She denied it and asked me if I wanted her to ask about it. I thought about it, and told her no. I figured that they would get bored with it soon.

We sat around talking until everyone arrived. I stood up, and had a moment of panic, until I remembered that these were all my friends. "I have a couple of things to tell everyone, and figured that this would be easier."

"First of all," I continued. "I talked to the State's Attorney the other day. He called me into his office to ask me some more questions about what had happened. It turns out that one of the guys that attacked me, is the cousin of the kid that's in Juvie for attacking me.

"All three were telling the same story, that it was a prank on his 'friend.' After confronting the other two with what was found in the van, and a few mentions of some nasty charges against them, they were jumping at the chance to testify against the leader."

Everyone tried to ask at once, "What did they find in the van?"

"A couple of bags with Ducktape and a heavy blanket. The police think that they were going to wrap me up in the blanket and the tape, then dump me somewhere. The two guys, claim to know nothing about the bags, and that they were just going to drive out into the middle of nowhere and leave me."

Sarah came over and gave me a hug, followed quickly by everyone else. I almost broke down and started crying. It took me a minute or two to collect myself.

Sarah pulled me over to where she had been sitting, and then onto her lap once she had sat down again. "Go ahead as soon as you are ready," she said.

"The States Attorney also told me that if it goes to trial, Deputy Wildler and those two guys are going to have to testify at the trial. I probably wouldn't have to, although he would like me to be there just in case. I really hope I don't have to."

We talked about it for a little while. Mostly they were asking questions, but I didn't have many answers. Finally I was asked what the other thing I wanted to tell them was.

"This is good news. I emailed my editor and told him about Steve's idea for the books. He said that the magazine doesn't do books, but that he also works for a book publisher and he thought it was a great idea."

"So, you're going to write them?" Steve asked.

"I was going to write them anyway, but now I don't have to look for a publisher. Anyone know any little kids I can have test read the first one?"

Almost in unison, they all said, "Just you."

I stuck my tongue out at them, and said, "The only little kids I know, are the Parks twins, and they are too little, and Ashley, but she's too big."

Ashley piped up, "Who are you calling little?"

"Ashley!" Her mom said.

"I'm only kidding, but I am bigger than he is. I will read it for you though."

We spent the rest of the afternoon talking. I noticed Ashley was getting bored, so I went and got a game. We got Steve to join us, and played while we were talking. I think the distraction helped Ashley, because she slaughtered us.