Step-Brother to Step-Baby

Chapter 5

Mikey's situation worsens as he begins to realise that his Step-Mother has been planning this for a while...

Mikey was still showing signs of defiance. It seemed he hadn't quite given up yet.

"**** off and have your supper, I'll just go and get something from town if you're going to be so pathetic."

I patted the back of Mikey's nappy gently and made a facetious comment. I knew it would anger him but seeing him dressed as he was, I was no longer scared of what he might do.

"I think we should let him go, Mother. Everyone will think he looks so cute in that big nappy. I would love to see the reactions", I commented in a babyish voice.

As expected, Mikey did not see the funny side, and responded venomously.

"Don't touch me, you stupid girl. You'll all regret this."

My Mother smiled at me and then turned to look at Mikey with a serious look on her face.

"Mikey, your sisters will be checking your nappies to make sure you don't need a change so I suggest that you treat them nicely. Sally, I am sure your younger sisters would be interested to see how you check if a baby needs a change. How do you check when you're babysitting your cousins?"

Mike looked at me with utter contempt but he was speechless. I hesitated as I didn't know how he would react to my Mother's words.

"Go on", Mother urged.

I leaned towards Mikey again and pushed into the back of his nappy to demonstrate it had not been soiled and then pressed into the front padding to show how to check it was dry."

This was clearly unnecessary but it was again about reinforcing our power over Mikey and making him realise that we would be in charge and he would be treated like any other baby.

I was expecting Mike to respond angrily or for him to push me away, but he didn't. He just stood there while I checked his nappy - I couldn't believe it.

"Well done Sally. Now Mikey, you have three choices. You can put the dummy in the mouth, be a good boy and come to supper downstairs with us, you continue acting like a toddler and have an early night with no food, or if you want to go into town dressed like that then that's your choice but you will have to walk in as you won't be able to drive."

"Why can't I drive?" Mike questioned in a concerned tone.

"I've cancelled your car insurance for the time being. I am not prepared to pay for privileges like that until you've demonstrated that you're a big boy."

Mike looked shellshocked. Mother really had planned this.

"What about my car?"

"It's not your car Mikey - I paid for it. If you behave properly, I might let you use it again. Otherwise, your sister is going to be learning to drive shortly so I am sure she would be happy to take over ownership of it."

This was all news to me. Mother hadn't told us any of this but it was very exciting as I would be able to start learning to drive in a few weeks and now I had a car to practice in.

"Oh, and one final thing, I've paid off the overdraft, but I won't be funding your bank account any longer. You're old enough to earn your own money if you want it. I will give you some pocket money each week like I do with your sisters, if you earn it. So unless you've got a secret stash of money hidden away, I am not sure how you'll be funding your trip to town"

There was a touch of irony about Mother's comments given that Mikey was being told that he was old enough to get a job and look after himself but at the same time, she had just pinned him into nappies and was treating him like a toddler.

He looked absolutely shell shocked and broken. In the space of an hour, he had ended up being returned to nappies by his step-mum and younger three sisters. He had now been told that his access to his car had been taken away and that his monthly allowance was being removed so he wouldn't have any money.

Mother had really planned this. She had taken all of his independence. She knew that he had no other family so he was reliant on her to support him and she had absolutely snookered him - he really had no option but to accept his fate.

"So, are you going to be a big boy and do as you're told, or not?"

Mikey was clearly still trying to take everything in but he hated being spoken to like a child. If he accepted it now then it would just continue to happen. At the same time, his stomach was rumbling louder than ever. He had not eaten lunch and given that the option of going to town to get his own food was clearly off the table, he was left with just two options - either accept his fate and do as he was told in order to get some food or go to bed hungry.

He made one last desperate plea. An hour ago, it would have been an aggressive refusal or a demand for us to do what he wanted but now he was asking us for mercy.

"No.... leave me alone. And stop calling me Mikey or saying that I need to act like a big boy. I'm 17 years old - I am not a baby!"

His protests were getting weaker by the minute and Mother sensed his weakness.

"You're right, you are a grown up so if you want to stay up and have no supper then that's your choice. If you want supper then you need to put the dummy in your mouth as I've told you. That's the rules - it's your decision."

"You're messing with my head. I'm not sucking a baby's dummy."

"Ok, it's your decision. See you tomorrow."

"Please... this has gone too far. I will come down but I'm not sucking the dummy... is that a deal?"

"Nope, sorry, that's not a deal. I've told you what you need to do, if you want your supper. We're all hungry so we can't stay here debating with you all night. See you tomorrow."

As Mother opened the door, Mikey shouted.....

"Wait....."

Mother turned back and looked at him.

"So do you want some supper after all? Are you going to do as you're told and behave like a big boy? If you want some food then I suggest you put your dummy in your mouth now and come down with us. Otherwise stay here and we'll see you tomorrow - it's your last chance. No more games"

Mike looked furious but he knew that he wasn't going to win this battle. It was either do what Mother said, or go hungry, and at the moment, the dummy was the lesser of two evils for him.