✅ My Sister's Problem

66. Deserved

"Woah, there!" Mum's voice got through to me as I stumbled. I felt her hand on my arm, gently guiding me. A few seconds ago, having her hold on to me had seemed patronising, reminding me just how little I was. But now I had to be glad of it because it was the only thing keeping me from falling on my face. "Come on baby, can you still stand?"

I fought against muscles that seemed to have turned to lead, and nerves that weren't carrying my instructions anymore. And with the realisation that falling asleep here could hurt me, I managed to regain some semblance of control over my body. It wasn't enough to stop my bladder emptying; there was nothing I could do about that. But I could get my eyes open again, and in a few seconds I might be able to ask Mum what was going on.

"Linda?" Mum snapped. "Give me that thing. And can you please tell me why you're holding it?"

"Your hands were full," she answered, like that made any kind of difference. "You said the baby needed to have an accident, so I decided to help."

Mum took a deep breath before she answered, and I could feel her hand tighten a little around mine.

"I said that she could decide whether to use her diaper like a good baby, or if we'd have to help her with that recording. You clearly heard me say that it was her choice, didn't you? Yes? Using words, Linda. You heard me, right? Good. And I was very clear after the first time I experimented with that thing that it constitutes a clear threat to your sister's happiness, which should only be used when absolutely necessary. And, you'll remember, I had to prevent her falling into her dinner that time, and I said that in future I would ask you to help me make sure the environment around her was clean and safe before I consider pressing the button. Are the steps up to the house a safe place to fall asleep?"

I didn't hear Lindy's answer, but I knew that she must be scared now. Mum's tone made it clear that my sister had crossed a couple of lines that had been set down very firmly. There must have been a real serious conversation back at Wellingborough, and Lindy was clearly expected to know better.

"It's okay," I mumbled, just a little drowsy. "I already... uhh... I tested it walking round the garden, to see if it could still put me to sleep when I was standing up. So I think it's safe, I can stay awake if it's not a good place."

"You almost fell, baby."

"Just surprised me. I would have been okay. I think."

"While that's good to know, it doesn't change the facts. Your sister knew that I was worried about that, and she knew that I wouldn't accept using that thing in a situation where we don't know about your safety. And she also knows that I offered you a choice."

"I was only trying to help!" Lindy protested. "She's such a baby. Look, she's wet herself again, hasn't she? You should stop giving her choices, and–"

"And how about yours? You have deliberately gone against the instructions I gave you for the sake of safety, and that seems a lot more childish to me than a little accident that you caused. I am sure, Linda, that I will be able to find the original of that recording, or another with similar effects. How would you like to be in Sally's situation? Because right now it would take an extremely good reason to convince me that isn't what you deserve. She is facing this punishment for thinking about doing to you what you just did to her. It seems obvious to me who deserves the harsher punishment here. Would you agree?"

"But I can't!" Lindy's voice changed completely, overtaken by fear. "You can't do that, it's disgusting! That would make me feel–"

"You're so terrified by the thought of getting the same punishment as your sister when you've done something worse? Maybe you should think about other people's feelings a little."