Eager Beaver

Chapter Twenty-Four - Accident

I opened my eyes as a ray of light hit my face, feeling as if someone was shining a flashlight at my eye. I groaned a little and tried to roll over, but Laurie was practically laying right on top of me. I tried to reposition slightly and everything felt off - weird and uncomfortable. Was it the way I slept? I shifted again and felt gross, itchy and cold. My bleariness disappeared when I registered what had happened. My heart raced as I reached down to confirm it - my dalmatian costume was wet, the sheets were wet, even Laurie was wet!

"Eh...urgh!" I sputtered, sitting helplessly atop the soaked mattress not knowing what to think. Laurie's eyes fluttered open as I quickly shifted, no longer caring about waking up the little beaver scout. "Oh no!" I shrieked and flicked the blanket off of us, which had a sizable stain on it, clearly having had a long time to soak it up.

"Cooper?" Laurie muttered in half asleep confusion as he opened his eyes.

When I looked down at the bed, I saw that Laurie's red shorts had dampened into a deep dark red, while the Dalmation costume's lower half was stained a putrid yellow. I quickly tried to get away from the puddle I was lying in. I sat up and pulled away towards the headboard, completely distraught. "The bed!" I cried. "It's wet!"

Laurie looked around, still confused - until it seemed to hit him like a truck. His face went pale and he stared at the puddle, then back to me, his eyes filled with tears. "Coop-" He tried to say but was interrupted by his own hiccuping sobs. He started to bawl right there beside me, driving his face into his pillow.

"Laurie!" I squealed half in concern of the tearful boy and half not knowing what to do. This wasn't my house, or my room, or even my clothes.

I hadn't even noticed Zach wake up, let alone travel across the room. We soon caught eyes however, and he winced at the stains all over us and the bed, but placed a comforting hand on Laurie's exposed back while he rolled over onto his belly as if he was trying to hide his pee-drenched front. He rubbed small circles into his back and looked hesitantly between us.

"Umm." He said, trying to break the unspoken words between us. "It's okay, just an accident." He said, rubbing Laurie's back some more. "I'm sure Cooper's sorry." He told him.

"Me!" I exclaimed in a scandalized yelp, caught off guard. Did Zach think I wet the bed? He did see me at camp, wearing a pull up and all. I'd even admitted I had an accident in front of the whole group.

"You aren't wearing a diaper." Zach stated almost matter of factly. "You just went right to bed." It was true. Kianna had suggested I put one right before bed, much to my embarrassment, but of course I had turned it down. I didn't actually need them after all. I wasn't wearing anything but my boxer briefs under the costume, but they are probably ruined now. How had Zach known I hadn't put on a diaper? Had Kianna told him? I couldn't help but feel a little betrayed. On a rational level it made sense. Why wouldn't she keep her fellow babysitter updated about the status of her little kindergarten charges? But it still felt bad - like the older girl had been tattling on me.

"I don't wear diapers!" I denied impotently, still feeling rather outraged by the accusation despite my mounting cascade of competing deceptions. I was also trying desperately to explain myself to Laurie, who was still sobbing inconsolably over the humiliating scene.

Zach rolled his eyes as if I was nothing more than a stubborn toddler telling absurd lies, and turned instead to Laurie for the truth. "Hey Laurie, you're wearing your night time protection, right?" He asked him while still rubbing his back. He was determined to get to the bottom of this.

"No!" Laurie moaned into his pillow, a fresh wave of hiccups and tears streaming forth.

Zach looked at us. While Laurie looked plainly distraught and upset by the whole situation, I realized I was coming across as merely stubborn and unreasonable. I could tell Zach didn't believe me. He let out a deep sigh. "I thought you said you could do it yourself." Zach said his sweet tone slowly fading away. He was swiftly running out of patience. It was pretty early in the day to be fair to him, and he had just woken up to yet more problems from the two little kids he'd been charged with watching for the weekend.