✅ Over Protected

59. Girls Demand Answers

This bonus chapter is dedicated to Jay. Thanks so much for supporting me!

"Hey!" Mum said as she came into the lounge. "Thanks for taking care of Alice. She hasn't been any trouble, has she?"

Sarah and Madison just mumbled, not saying anything right away. Mummy carried on acting like nothing had happened, though she asked if Madison wanted a drink, and if she was planning to stay longer. Whatever she'd wanted to talk to Sarah about, it couldn't be done in front of a friend. And for their part, Sarah and Madison were clearly embarrassed to raise the subject of babying. I could imagine that; I'd spent enough time wanting to ask about this stuff but not having the courage to get my words out. Those days seemed like another lifetime now; it was hard to believe that it had only been eighteen months since Sarah first wet the bed.

"Sorry," Mummy said a few seconds later, turning back to Madison. "I don't think you've been here recently. I'm afraid I can't..."

"Madison," she said. "I've been... Well, I haven't spent much time socialising for a few years. It's a long time since you saw me."

"Ohh, yes. I should have remembered. I didn't know you were hanging out with Sarah again. Didn't you have some kind of drama? I'm afraid I don't know what happens in school, but, well, I do want to be sure that whoever's looking after my little girl is mature and responsible."

"What about you?" Madison growled. "Responsible? I mean, does that mean you take responsibility, or you're the one causing problems?"

"I'm sorry?" Mummy asked, taken aback by the sudden animosity.

"They figured it out," I interrupted, hoping to get everyone on the same page before any accusations started flying around. "Found out about lysentripase. I told Madison some of it when I was still figuring it out, and then Sarah asked her the right questions to put two and two together."

"I see," Mummy answered, after a couple of deep breaths that must have been her efforts to calm down. "Then I'm sorry I didn't tell you the whole truth before, but I'm sure you can understand. Alice wanted to be a baby again, and I've always done my best to give you girls what you need. Even if it's a secret, it's what she really wants. I promise you, I wouldn't have done it until I was sure. I was still reluctant to go too far, but... I'm sure now, this is best all round. She'll grow up afterwards, but for now... why would I deny her that joy?"

"And what about me?" Sarah snapped, the words bursting out like bullets in quick succession. "Did you ever ask what I want?"

"I'm sorry," Mummy mumbled, unable to meet her eyes. "I really thought... Look, I thought you were getting into real trouble, until Alice helped me to see that I was giving in to my worst fears. I really wish I'd spoken to you first, but you really didn't make it easy for me. I promise, if there's something I'm worried about I'll ask you before jumping to conclusions now. And I know I've lost a lot of your respect because I immediately thought the worst of you. I didn't tell you afterwards because I was ashamed of myself for not trusting you. That's why... Well, I told you that I wanted to talk to you, didn't I?"

"Yeah. But you should ask first. You can't spring something like that on me without warning. Especially doing something like that. Like, you jump to conclusions and punish me without even asking what happened? Trying to talk about it later doesn't make that all better. And would you really be ready to talk to me like an adult if I hadn't already figured it out? Or were you going to try talking to me like a baby again, telling me I should read that stupid book or whatever?"

"No, I was going to talk to you." Mum looked hurt; like she really wished Sarah could trust her. But she wasn't angry, because she could accept it was her own fault. And when I caught myself analysing her like that, I realised this was the most mature my thoughts had been for a very long time. "And, well... it's not like I can put you back in diapers. Alice saw to that last year. Now you've been 'cured' of the disease, you wouldn't believe that you caught it again, so there's no way I could convince you to wear those... especially not long enough to have any effect. So even if I wanted to, I don't think I could."