Judy the Spoiled Princess (Patreon)

       A re-write of Betty the Big Baby, this time focusing on Judy's transformation.

 Judy Pisano was spending time with her mother Betty over her Christmas break. At least, she was trying to.

 “You're leaving again? I thought this was your day off!” Judy complained bitterly.

 Betty sighed as she put on her coat. “It was supposed to be, sweetheart. I know. But we just acquired another company this week, and it's an all-hands-on deck-situation! I am getting paid for the overtime! Don't worry. I'll probably have a day or two off next week, and we can go out and do something fun, just the two of us. Promise.”

 Judy crossed her arms. “I can't fucking believe this! I'm here for two weeks out of the whole year, and you think you can squeeze me in for a day or two? Maybe? Mom, this isn't okay. They're just taking advantage of you over there!”

 Betty checked her makeup in the bathroom mirror.“It's not that bad. We'll still see each other in the mornings and evenings. C'mon, pumpkin! I know it's not what either of us would prefer, but this job is what pays for this house and your college. I could be let go if I slack off at such a key time, and then we'd both be in for a lot of hard times.”

 Judy started to tear up, which would have been unpleasant enough even if she hadn't been wearing black eyeliner. As it was, smokey streaks began to run down her cheeks. “This isn't fair! I've really missed you. You're my Mom! You're supposed to make time for me, not just work and pay for things!”

 Betty's features hardened a little, shifting seamlessly from the placating Mommy to the stern Mother. “Judy...I know you're disappointed , but we're both adults now. You shouldn't be crying and throwing a tantrum just because you don't get exactly what you want immediately.”

 Judy bared her teeth, and spoke very slowly. “I'm not throwing a tantrum! I am upset! Just because I'm an adult doesn't mean I'm suddenly not allowed to have feelings! I'm your daughter, and you should make some damn room for me in your life! That's a reasonable thing to want! Isn't it?”

 Betty sighed. “Judy, that just isn't how the real world works! How many times do you need me to explain that to you? It's tough out there. It's tough for everyone. Maybe I've sheltered you more than I should have. You'll have to get out there and learn to deal with the world as it is sooner or later. You're almost done with college, and you still talk like a teenager. Your makeup, your music, your fantasy novels and little paganism things...it's like you keep refusing to deal with the world you actually live in. You're going to be interviewing for jobs soon! What are you going to tell them when they ask about your life and your interests?”

 Judy seethed. “So what's your solution? Be normal? Conform? Turn into a big corporate sellout like you? Because it all worked out so well? Look at you! You're a slave, Mom! You can't even spend Christmas with the only family you have!”

 Betty deflated a little at these words, but she still turned to open the front door. “There's no reasoning with you when you get like this! I'm sorry, but this is just how things worked out today. We'll talk more about it when I get home this evening. You can watch TV and order a pizza or something. Bye-bye for now. Mommy loves you.”

 Judy stomped her foot when her mother closed the door, somewhat undermining how adult her anger allegedly was. For a while, she simply sat on the couch and seethed. The truth was, she had been looking forward to this break for months. When she had been younger, even just a few years earlier, she and her Mom had been practically inseparable. Ever since she left for college, however, her Mom had refocused all her time and energy on her career. She had risen through the ranks quickly and become quite successful, which had had its benefits, even for Judy.

 Still, as much as Judy hated to admit it, even to herself, she was a Mama's girl. Neither her friends at school nor her mother knew the true extent to which that was true.

 Judy sat and seethed for a while. Normally, if she had a day to herself like this, which she rarely did, she would spend it in one of two ways: Either partying at one of her favorite nightclubs, or lounging around in her diapers. She would have mortified to admit it to anyone, even her closest friends and family, but Judy loved anything babyish. The more babyish, the better. Even now, she was slightly worried about her stash of diapers, stuffed animals, pacifiers, baby toys, and footie pajamas, carefully hidden in her dormitory's closet, underneath a collection of old textbooks for security. Her footie pajamas had black and pink stripes and her pacifier had a little purple skull at the front. It's not like she wasn't a genuine goth just because she liked to play with blocks and wet herself watching Gravity Falls every so often.

 However, not being brave enough to take her stash with her on the plane, Judy was bereft of anything exciting to do. She spent most of the day listening to music and watching videos on her phone. As upset as she was about her earlier exchange with her mother, she didn't miss the opportunity to order a pizza. Her mother rarely cooked these days, and there just wasn't anything very substantial in the fridge.

 As the evening came on, she waited for her mother to come home.

 And waited.

 And waited.

 Eventually, she grew tired of waiting and decided to go out for quick walk. Her usual evening ritual was to smoke a bowl and watch TV, but that was another of her personal habits that she lacked the necessary contraband for. She figured that some light exercise might work off enough of her nervous energy to allow her to get some sleep, despite still being angry at her mother.

 It was a crisp, cold night. There were only a few scattered drifts of snow here and there where they had been shaded throughout the day, but there were plenty of Christmas lights up, and a faint smell of smoke from the chimneys hung in the still air. A feeling of wistful melancholy hung in the air. The memories of the past, mingled with a vague promise of things to come. To someone of Judy's inclinations, the night had an occult feel. It was one of those times when she could instinctively sense the crossroads of fate, when the endless paths of the future were laid open and the barrier between worlds was thin and gauzy.

 A sudden wind picked up, blowing one of Judy's blue-tipped pigtails across her face. When she knocked it behind herself, she saw that a cloud had moved from the center of the sky, leaving the stars suddenly revealed in all their glory. A sense of wondrous anticipation swelled inside her as she stood on the sidewalk. She could sense the shooting star, even before she saw it. It was simply the thing that was meant to happen next.

 When she saw the strand of light streak across the night sky above her like a tiny silver arrow, she immediately knew exactly what she wanted to wish for. She folded her hands, pressing thumbs, pinkies, and the knuckles of her index fingers together to form an occult formation. There, staring up at the sparkling arc of the heavens, she opened her mind and heart and beseeched the higher powers of the cosmos.

 “I wish this whole, stupid world would just let me and my Mom spend time together the way I want!”

 Judy's vision blurred. The bitter mixture of anger, loneliness, and love she felt in that moment reached a crescendo. The pavement under her feet and the stars overhead wavered for a moment.

 But the moment passed, the wind died, a cloud spread across the sky to cover the stars, and Judy was left standing on the sidewalk, feeling a little foolish for her sudden attack of magical thinking. Tired and dejected, she stomped back to her mother's house and got herself ready for bed. By the time she heard her mother's car pull into the driveway, it was so late at night that she didn't even bother to get up to see her. She tossed and turned most of the night, feeling a hefty dose of guilt stir into her weary anger.

 The next morning, Betty woke early. She hadn't managed to get much sleep, but the situation at work was getting desperate. Everyone was straining to show their commitment to the company, and Betty worried that she would fall behind if she started pleading exhaustion. She hated getting up while her daughter was asleep and leaving before she woke up, so before heading out, she went to the door of the guest bedroom and knocked.

 “Sweetie? Are you awake?” there was silence. “Look, I'm sorry I haven't had as much time for you as you would like. I know it isn't fair, but please believe me when I say I wouldn't do this, if I wasn't sure that it it was the best thing for both of us! I love you very much sweetheart, and I wish I could be with you all day, but I just can't. Can you forgive me, baby? Please?”

 She heard a sharp intake of breath from the other side of the door. “Just go! I'll be fine! I don't even care!” yelled Judy from the other side.

 Her daughter's words felt like a physical blow. Hanging her head sadly, she turned and slowly walked out to the car.

 When she arrived at the office, Betty noticed that people were looking at her oddly. In the hallways that cut through the expansive cubicle farm that was her department, she noticed that people were frowning and whispering among themselves as she passed, as though something about her presence was odd or confusing. Concerned that she had made some kind of hideous mistake in her morning preparations, she paid a visit to the restroom before going into her office. As far as she could tell, she looked quite presentable, although the long hours she had been working were starting to make their mark under her eyes. Perhaps that was what people were commenting on.

 Judy slept in late. She had a nice, long seethe about being left alone yet again, and it wasn't as though she had anything in particular she needed to get done today. She might have laid in bed till noon if she hadn't heard the doorbell ring.

 She seriously considered just lying in bed and waiting for whoever it was to give up and go away, but after the fifth round of rings she finally lost patience.

 “Ah, screw it.” she thought bitterly tossing aside the covers. “Cooooming!” she called.

 She was wearing her second-favorite set of jammies (the pink ones with the black spiderweb design), and she decided that this would just have to be good enough for whoever was at the door.

 At the door was a tall woman with chestnut hair worn in an old-fashioned short perm, dressed in a faux deerskin jacket. She beamed when she saw Judy. “Good morning, Judy! Oh my goodness, aren't you just the sweetest!"

 Judy glared at the woman in irritation from behind the door. She was clearly one of those middle-aged women who imagined anyone under thirty to be basically a child. "And...you are?"

 "Oh, sorry! Introductions are in order, I suppose! My name is Dulcinea Potter, but you can just call me Dulcy, sweetheart! I live just next door, here. I run the little museum over on State St., just a little thing for the local Historical Society! Your Mommy and I chat sometimes, we're both quite active in the homeowner's association, you see. Well, I mean, I am!” she chuckled, as though she had made a joke. “We used to be, I guess!”

 Judy stared at the woman in stony silence, waiting for something resembling a point to wander into view.

 "Anyway, when I heard the good news, I just had to run and offer my congratulations to you and your Mommy! So, uh, where is your Mommy, anyway?" She spoke slowly and with saccharine cheer, carefully enunciating each word.

 Judy frowned. She didn't recognize this woman, and was annoyed at being spoken to so familiarly, not to say cloyingly, by a total stranger. She didn't put any effort into hiding her irritation. "My Mother..." she was sure to speak the word very clearly, so that even this dim-bulb wouldn't miss the emphasis. "... is at work right now. Is there something i can help you with?"

 The woman smiled and nodded sagely. Then, seeming to think again, she frowned. "Really? But...who's taking care of you, then?"

 Judy glowered. "I beg your fucking pardon? What?" She practically spat the words.

 If the woman at the door had understood her at all, she gave no sign. Her phony grin returned with a vengeance.

 "Who's here to look after you sweetie? Your Mommy must have left somebody in charge. Surely." she said with foolish little giggle.

 Judy had had about enough. "Lady, I don't know who you are or what your fucking deal is...

 "I'm Dulcy! I'm a friend of Mommy's!" repeated the woman, even more slowly this time.

  "...but you better believe I don't need anyone to 'take care of' me! Who the hell do you think you're talking to, anyway? Get lost!"

 Dulcy looked confused, that ludicrously over-cheery smile fading into a look of undisguised concern. She lifted a hand to her mouth and called past Judy into the house.

 "Hello! Is anyone home!" she shouted, prompting Judy to cover her ears.

 "Yes! Actually, somebody is home! Okay, I think I've been waaay more polite than I need to be. Conversation over, closing the door now, goodbye lady!"

 Dulcy stuck her arm through the doorway, preventing Judy from shutting her out. For an instant, Judy considered grabbing a knife.

 "Wait! You're really here all by yourself? But...well, that's not okay, pumpkin! There should be someone looking after you! What on earth could have possessed your Mommy to leave you all by your lonesome like this?"

 Judy cocked an eyebrow. A half-formed idea drifted past the edge of her consciousness. She allowed the door to open partially, then gripped it firmly to stop Dulcy pushing her way in.

 "O...kay. Ma'am, er, Dulcy? Just how old do you think I am, exactly?"

 Dulcy let out bark of exasperated laughter. "How in the world would I know that? I would guess...I suppose, somewhere around twenty-three?"

 Judy's mind was racing, but she focused her mind on feeling out the situation.

 "And...why exactly do you imagine that I would need someone to look after me?"

 Dulcy looked utterly baffled by the question. "What do you mean? Isn't it...well surely you don't expect to look after yourself anymore? I mean, I thought it was surprising when I first heard about it, but now that I see you, it's really a wonder no one noticed it before now...nobody seriously expects you to just look after yourself now! That would be ridiculous!"

 "Why? What is so obvious to you?" Judy's pulse was racing now. She could almost feel the words about to fall from Dulcy's lips, just as she had felt that shooting star about to streak across the sky the night before. But as clear as the idea now was in her mind, it still shocked her when she actually heard it.

 "You're...you're a Spoiled Princess, sweetie. I mean, what could be more obvious?"

 Betty sat down at her desk with a long sigh and checked her email. Sure enough, a fat stack of items in need of her attention and approval had accumulated in only the scant hours that she had been gone. Her eyes still struggling to focus properly, she scrolled down to the first one and opened it. However, before she could read it, her assistant manager, Luisa Manuel, suddenly burst in the door. She looked startled and confused for a moment when her eyes settled on Betty.

 “Yes? Is something the matter?” asked Betty, a little annoyed. Luisa usually showed her the courtesy of knocking.

 “Wh...what are you doing here? Aren't supposed to be at home?” asked Luisa, furrowing her brow.

 Betty returned her confused expression. “Overtime? You know, the merger? Are you okay? I mean, we've all been having trouble getting enough shut-eye recently, but...”

 “Yeah, I know about all that, of course! It's just that...well, what does any of that have to do with you?” asked Luisa.

 “Uh...hello? The department is swimming in extra work right now.”

 “The department, sure! But not you. I mean...c'mon now. You're supposed to be at home.”

 “Wh-what do you mean? I can't just abandon the department at a time like this.” said Betty with a slight chuckle.

 Luisa's look of confusion deepened. “What? Sure you can. I mean, you have to! You can't keep working like this, like nothing even happened!”

 Betty took off her glasses and rubbed her forehead. “What are you talking about? What has 'happened' that could possibly make any difference?”

 Luisa put her hands on her hips. “Well, obviously because Judy is a Spoiled Princess!You can't just keep working here! You need to be at home taking care of Judy!”

 Betty stared at Luisa for a long moment, utterly baffled. “Look, Luisa...I'm really not in the mood for any jokes right now, okay? If you don't have anything worthwhile to say, would you please just get back to work? We've all got plenty to do.”

 Luisa didn't budge an inch. “Yeah, I have plenty to do! I know that, believe me! That's why I need you get out of my chair so I can get some work done. I was way behind even before all this.”

 Betty frowned. “Your chair? Are you crazy? Get the hell out of my office, Luisa!”

 Luisa sighed. “Betty, come on! You don't have time for all this anymore. You have way more important things to do at home, now. You need to get back there and let me take of things here. Please? I have a lot of work to do, and I really can't afford to be distracted right now.”

 “This is my office! And what the hell did you say about Judy? I...I don't even...what the hell are you trying to pull? Get lost, Luisa!”

 “Betty...are you really not understanding this, or you just trying to mess with me? Your daughter is a Spoiled Princess! Everyone knows it. It's all they're talking about upstairs. Look, it's not a problem or anything. If anything, you should see this as a major step up. I'm actually kinda jealous of you! You have so much to look forward to, looking after an adorable Spoiled little Princess! It's like a dream come true!"

 Betty stared at Luisa for a moment. She tried to decide whether what she was hearing was kind of malicious prank, a nervous breakdown brought on by extreme stress, or an actual attempt to undermine her authority as department head. None of those explanations seemed to really fit the surreal way she was speaking. Eventually, she picked up her company phone and tapped the button for the vice president's office. Her secretary picked up.

 “Hello? Hey Jesse. I need to talk to Rita. Luisa's in my office, and I think there's some kind of problem. She's not making a lot of sense.”

 “Betty? Is that you?” asked Jesse with more enthusiasm than Betty would have expected. “What are you...never mind. Rita is already on her way down to talk to you. I guess someone already told her."

 “What? Told her what?” asked Betty, narrowing her eyes suspiciously. “What's going on?”

 Jesse sighed. “'Betty, c'mon. You had to know this was coming. You can't just neglect your responsibilities like this and expect to get away with it!”

 “What? I don't understand. What have I neglected?” said Betty, getting frustrated. Then she heard an insistent knock at the office door. Rita, the vice president and her direct superior, was at her door. “I'll have to call you back, Jesse.”

 She stood and opened the door for Rita, who looked angry enough to. “For heaven's sake Betty! What is wrong with you?"

 Betty felt like she was losing her mind. “What is everyone talking about? What have I done that's so awful?"

 Rita glanced over at Luisa. “Does she really not know? Why didn't you tell her?”

 Luisa held out her palms. “I have told her! It's like she won't believe me no matter how many times I say it!”

 “Say what? What is it?” pleaded Betty.

 Rita sighed. "Betty, I don't know how you could possibly not be aware of this, but fine, here's the situation. Your daughter...is a Spoiled Princess."

 Betty's eyes widened. If it weren't so close to Christmas, she might have checked to make sure it wasn't April 1st. "Wha-what? What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

 “She's a Spoiled Princess. Ya'know. She needs you at home taking care of her.” explained Luisa, as though this cleared the matter up entirely.

 “I...I really don't understand what you're getting at. Judy's a full grown woman. Why would should she need me, or anyone, to take care of her?” asked Betty.

 Rita crossed her arms, signalling that she was out of patience. “Look Betty, I don't know how I can make this any clearer. You need to get home and take care of your Spoiled Princess. There's no possible reason for you to stay here any longer. I've already discussed it with corporate, and we're all in agreement that keeping your Spoiled Princess happy trumps all other concerns. We're putting you on indefinite paid leave, so that you'll be able to focus on your new responsibilities without being distracted about any financial concerns. We'll all be very proud to do our part to support the Spoiled Princess. Luisa can handle your old position from here on out."

 Betty rested one hand on her desk, trying to steady herself. She felt like the room was spinning gently. “This...you can't be serious. This is all a big joke, right? Right?"

 Rita groaned. “Betty, this is the furthest thing from a joke. Looking after a Spoiled Princess is...well it's like a sacred honor! I can't believe you're acting so reluctant about this. Aren't you excited?”

 Betty sat down on her desk and tried to re-center herself. Something was definitely wrong here. The whole room seemed to be floating, as though the law of gravity had simply been repealed. Nothing she was hearing made sense.

 "Okay. Obviously, there's a serious misunderstanding here. Can you please just explain where this idea of yours came from? Why would you ever think that my daughter is a...a Spoiled Princess?"

 Rita and Luisa looked at each other. For the the first time since entering the office, they seemed to be uncertain. "Well..." began Rita. She paused, squinted slightly, and gestured as though she were trying pull some invisible thread of logic out of the air. "Judy is a Spoiled Princess." she finished.

 Luisa nodded. "Right! Like, for example...uh, she's, umm...Spoiled...and a Princess?"

 The pair of them considered this revelation for moment.

 "And she needs her Mommy to take care of her." said Rita, as though suddenly remembering the answer to a particularly tricky trivia question.

 "Right!" exclaimed Luisa, excited to be getting to the heart of the matter. "Her Mommy ought to be home with her, taking care of her, and making sure she's happy!"

 Rita chuckled with relief. "Oh my gawd, I was so confused there for a second. Glad that's all sorted."

 Betty stared in bafflement at Luisa, then at Rita, then back at Luisa. "But...why? Did...someone actually tell you that?"

 Rita considered this, then shrugged carelessly. "Not that I can recall."

 "You know, I'm not sure anyone actually brought it up." said Luisa, looking up at the ceiling. "It just seems really obvious if you think about it."

 Betty stared at her in disbelief, but Rita eagerly nodded her agreement.

 “That is absolutely absurd! Judy is twenty-five years old for goodness sake! She's clearly a Spoiled Princess!"

 Betty heard what had just come out of her mouth. She frowned, and tried again.

 "She is a Spoiled Princess. She is not...ready to look after herself. She needs her Mommy to...she's not a grown-up...she's a very...Spoiled Princess?"

 She covered her mouth with her hands. The other two women stood blinking at her. Her heart was pounding. "What is this? What the hell is happening here?"

 Rita sighed. “Look, I can see it may take some time to get used to all this, but I'm sure you'll understand how lucky you are soon enough. In the meantime, you really must get back home to Judy. It's completely unacceptable for you to be running off while she's waiting for you all alone!"

  Betty blinked several times, half expecting to find herself back home in her bed, about to drive to work and start her day for real. Something extremely abnormal was clearly happening, and although she had no notion of what it might be, the fact that it revolved around Judy was inescapable. She needed to get home and figure this out.

 "Yeah. That sounds...I'll go ahead and...go home to see Judy." she finally stammered.

 "Alright! Don't worry about it, Betty. As long as you don't let it happen again, we'll let it slide this time." said Rita. Betty was not the least bit reassured by her words.

 “I'm a...Spoiled Princess?” asked Judy, a feeling of deep unease creeping its way into her chest. "How?"

 Dulcy blinked. She clearly hadn't been expecting the question. “I...well, it's...you see...look, it's hard to explain. But, you surely aren't suggesting that you aren't! I mean look at you! You surely aren't going to try to tell me that you can look after yourself!”

 Judy thought back to the night before. “No fucking way.” she thought.

 She suddenly felt as though she had sleepwalked to the edge of a cliff, and woken just in time to lose her footing. Every warning she had ever heard about magic crowded into her mind, every warning not to tamper with fate, every story of those who had their greatest wishes granted to them and lived to regret it.

 "Are you okay dear? Did you have an accident?" asked Dulcy, concern evident in her voice.

 "W-what!" started Judy, her mind jerked back to the present by the peculiar comment.

 "An accident. You know...in your pants?"

 "I...I don't..." Anger flashed through Judy's mind. As often as she had imagined herself in just such a conversation as this, now that she was suddenly confronted with an actual strange woman actually asking if she had wet herself like a toddler, she was instantly seething with anger. But as she tried to forcefully object to being asked such a undignified, intrusive, presumptuous question, she found that her tongue suddenly felt awkward and heavy in her mouth.

 "Oh, it's no big deal, sweetie! My, it is just so adorable how flustered you get about something so silly! A cute little Spoiled Princess like you shouldn't let a little accident here and there spoil her good mood! It's perfectly fine if you have a little trouble making it to the potty sometimes."

 Judy only grew angrier as Dulcy spat out one condescending little comment right after the other in her cloying, saccharine voice. She knew that something beyond nature was at work here, but her ego was still struggling to defend itself against this barrage of humiliation.

 "I...I don't...I don't...I'm not a...I'm a Spoiled Princess!"

 Cold sweat broke out over Judy's body as she heard the sentence that had just escaped her mouth. Her tongue no longer felt thick and sluggish. It was jerking and squirming around her mouth, as though it were being tickled. The more she struggled to control it, the more it seemed to run out of control.

 "I don't wear big-girl panties! I'm a bedwetter! Mommy makes me wear pull-ups to bed to keep my jammies dry!"

 Judy clenched her jaw as hard as she could, but it was like trying to hold back a bucking bronco. "I mean...I wear pull-ups to bed...because of my bedwetting...I'm a bedwetter!"

 She bit her tongue to hold back the shameful confessions it was making against her will. She wanted to believe that it wasn't true, but she knew better. Peeking over the hem of her purple spider-web pajamas was the sky-blue rim of something she could swear she hadn't been wearing last night or even a minute earlier. Something thick, plastic-backed, absorbent, and very soggy. Blinking her eyes and blushing ferociously, she grabbed at the rim of her newfound protective underwear and pulled as hard as she could. The elastic waistband flexed only slightly before snapping resolutely back into place.

 Dulcy took advantage of her momentary confusion to slip inside the house."Oh, did you just get up from your naptime, honey? That explains why you're all soggy. Here, sweetie. Let me help with that! Do you know where your Mommy keeps the baby wipes?"

 "Hey! Stoppit! I can't do this myself! I mean, I can't do it myself! Grrrrr... I need...help getting changed...dammit, why am I such a bedwetter!"

 "Hey, hey!" said Dulcy, pulling Judy into a hug and rubbing her back to soothe her. "There's no need to worry, sweetie. You're a Spoiled Princess! Of course you can't handle all this on your own! I'll get you changed into a nice fresh pull-up. It's no problem. Ooh, I see your changing table! Come along, let's get the little princess into something nice and dry, okay?"

 Judy struggled to resist as Dulcy gently took her by the shoulders and escorted her back into her bedroom. However she pulled or jerked, trying to free herself from Dulcy's gentle hold was like trying to push the north ends of two magnets together. Dulcy casually swept her back into her room with the irresistible force of a polite but insistent tsunami.

 It was not the same room she had left only a moment earlier. Her bedsheets were now purple with little black bats. A large purple stuffed spider was sitting beside her Jack Skellington Pillow. Against one wall was an adult-sized changing table, its top well-padded and its shelves well-stocked with plenty of diapers and changing supplies. On the wall, Judy saw a potty-training chart with her name proudly printed across the top, and her mother's signature at the bottom. The chart was decorated with shiny star stickers, but not very many. For every star, there were at least three gray clouds.

 "Oh my, look at your potty chart, sweetie! You made it to the potty almost three times this last week alone! Your Mommy must be so so proud!"

 Judy stared at the apparition, speechless. If the chart was to be believed, she was currently in the process of being toilet-trained, and it was not going very well at all.

 "This...this can't be possible. How could I have done this much without meaning to?" Judy asked herself, as Dulcy casually lifted her on the changing table.

 "Accidents happen, sweetie." said Dulcy. She pulled Judy's pajama bottoms off with one smooth motion. The pull-ups underneath had colorful butterfly decorations. Judy slapped at her hands, but Dulcy didn't seem to notice. "You're just lucky your Mommy keeps you in such thick pull-ups. You peed so much and it didn't even leak!"

 Judy was powerless to stop Dulcy from removing her wet pull-ups, leaving her exposed on the changing table. She squealed and kicked her feet as she was wiped down with baby wipes, gently but efficiently.

 "There we go! A nice clean tushy for her royal highness!" said Dulcy, idly tossing the final wipe into the diaper pail.

 "Hello? Is anyone home?" called a voice from the front door. Judy realized that Dulcy had left the door open.

 "We're back here! Come on on in!" responded Dulcy.

 "What!" shrieked Judy.

 She felt blood rush to her face. She tucked her knees into her face, trying to cover herself as best she could. A woman in a bright red jacket with the number four on her left breast and a polished grin on her face sauntered into the room, holding a microphone. A photographer crouched behind her, pointing the large camera at Judy like a bazooka.

 "Aaaah! She's even cuter than I imagined!" squealed the reporter.

 "I know right?" exclaimed Dulcy, pulling a fresh pull-up from one of the stacks under the changing table. "I'm just getting her changed. She had a little nighttime accident in her pull-ups!"

 Judy wanted to dissolve into the carpet, never to be seen again. She recognized Charla Jeon, from the local news station. That meant that she was going to be on local television, possibly today. Her potty training accident was going to be on TV. Everyone was going to see her get a fresh pair of pull-ups slid up her legs.

 The sounds of the two giggling women discussing her adorable wetting incident seemed to fade into the background. Was this really happening? It felt like a nightmare, even if it might be the kind of nightmare that she would treasure and hope to have again later.

 Something moved in the bedroom. A set of white bars sprouted from the bed and slowly rose into place. It was transforming into a crib before her very eyes, before all their eyes. But no one said anything in response to the miracle. Judy wondered if what she was seeing was still part of the real world. Perhaps she had accidentally knocked herself out her original reality completely, like a gymnast on a cruise accidentally falling overboard while trying to do a somersault.

 "Let's bring her outside. I'm sure everyone will want to see her, and the lighting is much better out there."

 Judy was jerked out of her defensive crouch by Charla's words. Dulcy nodded her enthusiastic agreement and casually lifted Judy into her arms. She struggled futility as she was carried toward the front door. They couldn't be serious!

 Betty felt odder and odder as she drove home. She could sense that something strange was happening. The traffic was never this good this time of day, for one thing. It ought to have been well into rush hour at this point, but somehow lights turned green in front of her and heavy traffic seemed to melt away in her path. But that wasn't what made her so uneasy. It was the feeling that was steadily building insider her, just under her skin. It had started as a kind of nervous excitement, as though she were anticipating something that she couldn't consciously identify. Then, it grew more and more intense. A warmth seemed to wash over her, a tingling feeling all over her body. Sometimes, she thought she detected notes of music, like wind-chimes, playing just on the edge of hearing.

 A Spoiled Princess.

 She wasn't sure why that phrase seemed so significant. Judy was a Spoiled Princess. The more she found herself circling back to that inexplicable but inarguable idea, the more it felt...right. After all, she loved Judy. Didn't she, at some level at least, want her to be a Spoiled Princess? To get everything her heart desired, to have her every whim satisfied, to have all that she needed to be truly happy? There were other thoughts too, of course. Odd, muffled thoughts, speaking of things like discipline, and maturity, and demanding that things make sense, that she be realistic.. But as she glided smoothly from one green light to another, all those ideas felt vague and distant and irrelevant, compared to the wonderful sense of anticipation that was pouring over her. She felt...almost as though she had won some sort of cosmic lottery. That such a miraculous turn of good fortune had befallen her that she would need a few days to even process the joy that she ought to be feeling. Her hands were trembling on the steering wheel. Her hands were covered in white plastic gloves.

 She stared at the gloves. When had she put them on? She couldn't remember. Then she hurriedly turned her attention back to the road, having come dangerously close to rear ending someone. Pulse racing, she decided to pull into a nearby gas station to take stock of her situation. She settled beside an unoccupied pump, turned the engine off, yanked the hand break firmly up, shut her eyes, and leaned back in her chair, trying to get her breathing under control.

 After a few long, ragged breaths, she opened her eyes and examined her hands. She was wearing white latex gloves. They were tight against her skin, but didn't pinch at all, as though they were custom-made for her exact size. She rubbed her thumb and forefinger together. They were coated in a light dusting of powder. She sniffed the air. The scent was unmistakable.

 Then she noticed the apron around her waist. A white, country apron with a pocket at front and lace along the fringes. There was no sign of the sober pantsuit she had carefully put on that morning. She was dressed in a light blue tee shirt with a picture of a smiling yellow sun nestling atop a fluffy white cloud. Her grey skirt and flats had been replaced with loose-fitting jeans and white sneakers. She stared at her clothing for a long time, drawing in long, deep breaths, opening and shutting her eyes over and over, daring the magical transformation to reverse and reality to snap back into place. The new outfit remained stubbornly real.

 She looked at herself in the rear-view mirror. Her cheeks were flushed. Her eyes sparkled. She wondered if the crow's feet under her eyes were smaller than they had been that morning. She wasn't sure if she looked younger or not, but she definitely felt younger. Her body was pulsing with energy, with enthusiasm.

 She caught sight of an unfamiliar shape in the back seat and twisted around with a start. She was sure the back of the car had been empty when she had left, but now it sported a huge and extremely well-cushioned car-seat. It was hot pink, decorated with little cartoon skulls and crossbones, and festooned with an elaborate set of belts and straps to keep its adult-sized occupant secure during her ride. The vehicle itself seemed to have expanded just to accommodate the bizarre contraption.There were also a selection of colorful stuffed animals and plastic toys scattered across the remainder of the back seat, likewise scaled up for the amusement of the seat's occupant. In the opposite corner sat a familiar pink bag, also bright pink, lined with numerous side pockets, with alphabet blocks across the front.

 Betty drew in a long breath through her nose, trying to steady herself. She could feel the strange force at work, all around her and also inside her. Her anxiety was steadily replaced with blissful relief. Her confusion slipped away into the ether, replaced by unshakeable certainty. Everything was going to be alright. The world was shifting back into its proper shape. She could feel the correct course laid out in front of her, waiting for her to relax and allow herself to take one step, and then another. She knew now that the doorway to unlimited joy, rejuvenation, and happiness had finally opened, and she needed only to walk through.

 She steeled her nerves as she restarted the car and left the gas station, having purchased nothing that it offered. She didn't need gas. She had enough to get her home, and that's where she needed to be right now. She no longer felt lost and adrift. She had a mission. She now knew exactly where she needed to be and what she needed to do.

 Her Spoiled Princess needed her Mommy.

 It felt like the entire town had gathered to see the little Spoiled Princess. Everyone was squealing with delight and raising their cell phones to record the occasion. Many women were coming in with handfuls of gifts for her. Stuffed animals and colorful plastic toys were gathering in heaps on the lawn. Some women were carrying cakes, pies, and various covered dishes. They were filing in and out of the house like a parade bringing in the spoils of war. Judy almost screamed when she saw a group of uniformed police officers carry several large packages of a green substance into the house, all marked "Evidence". It seemed that all the normal rules had been repealed where the Spoiled Princess was concerned. Everyone wanted a turn with her. People were patting her head, tickling her chin, and calling her "your highness" in the most cooing voices they could muster. Oversized baby bottles began to be passed out among the crowd of gleeful women. After much arguing and jostling for position, a line was formed. She was passed easily from one lady to the next, and they fed her. Once a nipple was presented to her mouth, her lips locked on with no resistance. The women bounced her on their knees, pinched her cheeks, patted her back, blew into her belly, and rained kisses on her forehead. A much as her face burned with humiliation as she was babied and fussed over in front of the television cameras, it felt wonderful. For the first time in years, she was surrounded by people who adored her, who wanted nothing from her but to see her, play with her, tell her how wonderful and cute she was...to make her a happy little princess. She soon found herself giggling and squealing with glee as she began to relax and soak up the unlimited affection.

        As she drained one bottle after another of the warm, sweet contents, she felt her belly fill up. Far faster than should have been possible, she soon felt her bladder filling up as well. She began considering whether she ought to inform the crowd of women of this fact, when her mouth decided to make use of its own initiative.

        "I gotta go pee-pee!" she heard herself shouting, just as an empty baby bottle drew toward her mouth and right before a full one could be rushed in to replace it. She blushed ferociously, but instead of laughing, her captors reacted as though this were the best news they had heard all day.

        "Oh my goodness! The princess needs to use the potty everyone!" announced Dulcy. She didn't say it mockingly, but Judy still scowled at her in her embarrassment. The crowd of woman reported this apparently marvelous news back and forth in loud voices, making Judy blush even harder, until finally she felt her feet settled back to the grassy turf. The crowd parted, and Judy saw a human corridor form across the lawn, terminating at a little tub of pink plastic, decorated with bunny ears.

         "Go on, Judy! Show us what a big girl you are!" cheered Charla. She began clapping her hands in a slow rhythm, which grew steadily louder and louder as more women joined in, until it was a fierce, insistent drumbeat.

         They seriously expected her to use a training potty, in broad daylight, right here in front of everyone. Judy froze. This had to be a nightmare. This wasn't what she had wished for at all. Where was her Mom? Why would she even want to show that she was a big girl? She had already done that years ago, for heaven's sake!

        There was something strangely pleasant about the feeling of urgency in her bladder. Judy realized that she was wearing pull-ups, a type of underwear specific to those for whom keeping themselves dry was strictly optional. She could possibly strain and struggle and hold on despite the constant bouncing and tickling, but what would she gain from that? Would they let her back into big-girl panties if she managed to keep her pull-ups dry long enough? Judy very much doubted that, and the experiment didn't really seem worth the effort.

        "Screw it." she thought, looking down at the little training potty with disdain. It wasn't even decorated appropriately. It should have chains or spider legs or something. Maybe even just an orange jack o' lantern shape? It wasn't for her. These pull-ups weren't for her either. Butterflies? Seriously? She drew in a long breath through her nose, spread her legs, leaned forward, and relaxed. She gasped in surprise as the pee began rushing out of her, splashing and spreading insider her pull-ups. The sense of deep relief and joy that filled her were far more intense than those she felt peeing in a toilet. They were even better than peeing in her diaper, the few times she had had the nerve to try that, late at night, alone in her room. This was showing everyone that she was a little pee-pee baby who wasn't ready to even attempt potty-training. Moreover, the tingling sensation that spread through her bladder was more than the simple pleasure of urination. Judy knew that the magic that she had unleashed was at work on her bladder, rewiring it to never again submit to her voluntary will. She could practically feel the muscles responsible for keeping her pants dry soften into useless mush. She had said no to potty-training, and just like that, it was leaving her without another word. She sighed deeply with satisfaction as the crowd cheered her on.

 "Judy?"

 Judy felt her stomach drop when she heard her mother's voice.

 "M-Mom?" she stammered.

 The crowd parted to allow Betty to approach. Her mouth was closed tight, her eyes serious. Judy felt ready to faint. She was standing on the front lawn in front of half the town, wearing nothing below the waist but a pair of pull-ups she had just very deliberately soaked, and here was her mother, come to tell her off for once again failing to live up to her example of maturity and independence.

 She barely had time to register the white gloves and country apron Betty was wearing, or the pink satchel slung over her shoulder, before Betty rushed forward and pulled Judy into a forceful hug, wet pull-ups and all.

 "Oh, sweetie. I'm so sorry!" she whispered, tucking Judy's face into her shoulder. "Mommy is so sorry for leaving you all by your lonesome like that! I promise it'll never happen again! I understand now that you were always meant to be my Spoiled Princess. I should never have tried to teach you discipline, or hard work, or self-reliance. I should never have made you go away to school to fill your head with all that silly grown-up nonsense. And I certainly was very, very wrong to try to potty-train you! I promise things are going to be so much better from now on. I'm going to take care of you like a good Mommy."

        Judy had no way to even begin to process what she was hearing. She trembled in her mother's arms as Betty continued.

 "No more work for you, sweetie, ever. From now on, everything you will ever need or want will be provided for you, free of charge. A Spoiled Princess should never have to dirty her hands with any kind of labor. I give you my permission to be as lazy as you want. I want you to spend your days idling around the house, watching cartoons, taking lots of naps, playing with your toys, being fed, being bathed, being doted on and entertained and indulged. Mommy will take away all your big-girl responsibilities. I want my precious princess to live a life of comfort and ease, with no trace of grown-up worries."

 "I'm never, ever going to try to discipline you ever again, sweetie. No spankings, no corner time, no chores to do, no lectures of any kind, ever. From now on, when you want something, I expect you to whine and cry and throw a fit until you get exactly what you want! I'm going to be the sweetest, most indulgent Mommy I possibly can be. I shall be at your beck and call, day and night. I want you to just wrap me around your little finger, sweetie! I want to bend over backwards to make you happy. I want you to have all the toys and naps and bottles and pacifiers you could ever possibly want! I'm going to undo all the harm I've caused you by trying to turn you into a grown-up. I want to help you unlearn all the awful things I made you learn! I want you to be completely unable to read or write, I want you counting on your fingers, I want you to have no self-control or maturity whatsoever. I want my precious Princess to be a big, whiny crybaby who always has to have everything her own way! I know it's what's best for both of us, sweetheart!"

 Judy stared at her mother. She was clearly under a spell, locked into playing out the same absurd, self-indulgent fantasy that she herself was now trapped in.

 But she looked so happy. Her eyes were absolutely shining with love and joy. Her smile looked absolutely genuine. Judy knew it was too too late to turn back now, anyway. She was falling headlong into the sweet madness her spell had woven around her. She didn't even want to fight back anymore.

 "Now, Judy, I have something here for you. When I realized how long it had been since you were last wearing one of these, I just had to rush home and get you back in them." Betty turned to her satchel and solemnly drew out a bulky rectangle of glossy padding. It was white with a pink stripe across the tapes, emblazoned with a puffy rendition of a skull-and-crossbones. Judy reflected that her mother didn't realize that the last time she had worn one of those was less than a week ago, although that one had been thin and plain-looking in comparison to the one she held now. "But I won't just give it to you, sweetie. I want you to get used to making your wishes known like good little Spoiled Princess. I want you to throw yourself down on the ground and throw me a big, rip-roaring tantrum! I want to see your fists pounding the grass as you demand, demand, to be put back in baby diapers by your Mommy. Can you do that for Mommy, honeybunch?"

 Judy's face was steaming. Could she really do something like that? In front of so many people? But her body had already made up its mind. She dropped to her knees, lay face down on the grass, raised her fists, filled her lungs, and for the first time in years, she blasted her emotions in all directions.

 "Waaaaahhhh! Mommmmyy! I wan' diapees, Mommy! I want to wear diapees for ever and ever and ever! No more potty, Mommy, never ever! I don't wanna wear stoopid big-girl panties! I want diapey changies! Mooooommy!"

 Judy continued to scream, cry, and kick her feet as the crowd continued to ooo and aww and take pictures. Betty watched for a long time, hands clasped together, nearly in tears as she proudly watched her adult daughter throw a massive temper tantrum. Finally, she stooped down, and began rubbing Judy's back in a circle.

 "Aah! Don't cry Princess, Mommy is here to get rid of all your nasty old potty training! You should never have been forced to use the big girl potty, and I'm putting a stop to that right now! I want my precious little Spoiled Princess to make lots of big, full, sagging diapers for Mommy to clean up, every single day. I don't want you to ever have to wipe your own tushie again. That will be Mommy's job again, and this time I'm never giving it up! Mommy will make sure you never have to sit on a toilet again, ever! I want you to be able to wet yourself over and over all day and night, no matter where you are or what you're doing! You're going to be my happy little Spoiled Princess in your adorable diapers!"

 Gradually, Judy calmed down and deflated, lying passively as her mother laid out a changing mat and lifted her onto it. She seemed to have no more trouble moving than Dulcy had. She simply lay looking up at the bright blue sky as Betty pulled her soggy pull-ups off and discarded them. The tiredness that proceeded a proper emotional blowout was blissful. She barely minded that dozens of cameras were recording her being wiped clean by her Mommy. She sighed with joy and contentment as her mother dug a large bottle of baby powder out of her diaper bag and smiled down at her as the soft dust rained down. She relaxed and allowed the deep humiliation to wash over her. Of course she needed to be back in diapers. Of course she needed her Mommy to take care of her and fuss over her day and night. Of course she would need to spend her days in playful indolence, watching dumb cartoons and having endless accidents in her diapers. Of course she had every right to whine and cry and throw fits until her mother gave in and let her have her own way.

 "This is how it will be now, sweetie! You don't ever have to worry about anything. Mommy has everything well in hand."

 Judy stared up at the sky and thanked the powers that had granted her and her mother this beautiful new existence. She sighed deeply as the final tape was stretched out and pressed firmly into place, delighting in the crinkling noise. The diaper was tight, but not too tight, fitted with skill and care by her loving Mommy. It was thicker, more snug, and felt more secure than any diaper she had ever put on herself. Her heart raced, knowing that the reason her diaper felt so good on her, was that her Mommy had put her in it. The cloud broke into applause as her Mommy gently pulled her to her feet and gave her rear a few firm pats. She only smiled and tucked her thumb into her mouth as her mother showed her off.

 "Oh my gawd, she looks so happy!"

 "You are such a Spoiwled widdle Pwincess! Yesh you are!"

 "What a cute diapey butt! Your Mommy is sooo lucky."

 The women were still taking turns pinching her cheeks and tickling her belly, but it was different with her Mommy standing beside her, beaming with pride. She felt completely safe with her Mommy there to protect her.

 Charla pressed her microphone toward Betty. She took her cue, grabbed the mike, and made an announcement. "Everyone, I'd like to introduce you to my wonderful daughter Judy, the cutest and most Spoiled Princess in all the land!" announced Betty as she lifted Judy's hand by the elbow and waved it at the assembled crowd.

 "Tell these nice ladies what you are now, sweetie." ordered Betty softly.

 Judy was lost in the adoration. She pulled her thumb out, filled her lungs with air, and let her mouth do its thing."Hi Everybody! I'm a Spoiled little Princess who need her Mommy to take care of her!"

 The crowd erupted into cheers once again. Judy was glowing with embarrassment, but she still wanted more.

 "That's right, baby!' said Betty, patting Judy on the head. "Now tell me, what kind of things do you need your Mommy to do for you now?

 Judy's mind reeled, but her mouth had other ideas. "I need my Mommy to watch me, all day, every day! I need Mommy to give me baths, and put me down for my naptime, and rock me to sleep, and feed me my ba-bas, and I need to be hugged and tickled and bounced up and down!" Judy struggled to stop the humiliating flow of words, but it was far too late. "And Mommy has to change my diapees when I have my big pee-pee accidents!"

 There was laughter as spoke, but it was good-natured. Judy didn't feel like she was being made fun of. If anything, she suspected that many among the crowd were jealous of her new stress-free existence.

 Her mother continued. "Now, unless I've misread the crowd quite a bit, I think that many of you are very eager to see more of this precious princess here. Am I right? Would you like to have a hand in taking care of my adorable diapered girl?" Betty asked. A forest of hands shot up and waved wildly about, competing for her attention. Darcy and Charla were among them.

 "Oh, wonderful! See baby, all these nice ladies just want to see that beautiful smile light up your sweet, adorable face! Isn't that wonderful?"

 Judy turned and whispered in Betty's ear. Betty listened intently and nodded along, before turning back to the crowd with a smile.

 "Now, my sweet girl has brought up a very good point. All of you can't be taking care of her at once. We'll have to work out a schedule so we can give everyone a chance to help out. I'll let a few of you be my helpers each day. You'll be allowed to handle a few of Judy's diaper changes, help me with feeding and bathing and so on. You'll also help out around the house, doing laundry and dishes and general cleaning. Any interest?"

 To Judy's surprise, the enthusiastic bouncing of the volunteers didn't lose any steam. Apparently, these women were so excited at the prospect of diapering her that they were willing to provide maid services for the privilege. She could only conclude that either she had accidentally shunted her mother and herself into a truly bizarre pocket dimension, or these women's desires were being warped substantially by her spell.

 A mischievous grin crossed Judy's face as an idea occurred to her. She wondered if, even now, she would be allowed to get away with it, but she had to try. She turned and whispered into Betty's ear once again. Betty chuckled before turning back to the assembled women.

 "Now, before you commit to anything, you ought to know more about what this kind of work entails..."

 Judy yawned and stretched. The birds were singing outside her window. Fluffy ghosts, skeletons, and jack o'lanterns were gently spinning on the mobile above her crib. She wiggled her toes, loving how warm they felt, tucked away in her favorite pajamas (the black ones with white skulls and purple stripes) under her soft fleece blankets. In her right hand, she found the ba-ba her Mother had given her when she had tucked her into bed the night before. It was empty, the contests having long ago found their way through her and into her thick nighttime diapers. Her left arm was wrapped around Dulcy, who was snoring gently beside her, head resting against her shoulder. She smiled at the older woman. She looked adorable in her light yellow onesie, white baby bonnet, and lace-fringed bib reading "Cutie Pie".

 At first, demanding that Dulcy serve as her baby dolly had been a bit of petty revenge for the condescending way the woman had treated her when they had first met. Playing with the middle-aged woman as a toy, making her talk to her stuffed animals, throwing pretend tea parties, and cuddling with her in her crib had been fun for a while, but Judy had relented and allowed her to go home after a couple of days. It wasn't as though her Mother didn't have dozens of other names on her waiting list, more than happy to fill whatever role Judy decided to give them in her infantile new life. To her surprise, however, Dulcy kept hounding her Mother to allow her to spend another day as her daughter's favorite dolly, and Judy found she didn't really want to say no. So, the two soon ended up spending more night's together in Judy's crib than apart. Other women cycled in and out, and Judy enjoyed playing with many of them, but Dulcy was her favorite. She seemed so delighted to be able to just relax and go along with whatever her princess wanted.

 Judy propped herself up on her elbow and gently shook Dulcy awake.

 "Good Morning, Dolly."

 Dulcy stirred, sniffed the air, and slowly opened her eyes. "Hmmmm, good morning, your highness. Did you sleep good?"

 "Always." whispered Judy.

 "Are you wet?" whispered Dulcy.

 "Always." repeated Judy with a mischievous smile. It was only the truth. Judy hadn't woken up dry in weeks. Her bladder control was weak verging on non-existent. Judy was quite confident that she would always need diapers to keep her pajamas dry.

 Dulcy closed her eyes and concentrated. She had a long way to go to become as diaper-dependent as Judy, but she knew her duty. If the Spoiled Princess was wet, she needed to be wet too. After a few moments, she inhaled sharply in three little gasps, then relaxed and snuggled into Judy's shoulder. Judy gave Dulcy's soft belly a gentle rub and pat in congratulations. "Good Dolly. Ready to get started?"

 Dulcy smiled and nodded. She had no idea what their day together would involve, and she liked it that way. It was Betty's job to plan out any activities or events that required planning, and Judy's job to interrupt whatever she had planned with whatever her infantile whim demanded. Betty was nominally in charge of the household, but no one outranked the Spoiled Princess when she had her waterworks to fall back on.

 Judy cleared her throat. She liked to vary the noises she made to summon the diaper-changing staff in the morning. Sometimes it was a full-throated howl of indignation, sometimes a high-pitched banshee shriek, other times she would bawl her eyes out for no reason. Still, the baby monitor beside the crib ensured that even a relatively minor indication of discomfort could bring her mother scampering to her rescue, and today she decided to test this out with a very quiet whine in the back of her throat.

 "waaaaaa-aaaaaaaaah!"

 Within moments, the Nursery door snapped open. Her Mother strode in, looking radiant as ever. Judy wasn't sure how much of her mother's newfound energy and enthusiasm was conferred by magic and how much was simply being free of the soul-crushing grind of the corporate world, but there was definitely a spring in her step and a sparkle in her eyes.

 "Oh, there there, princess! Does Mommy's little princess have a soggy diaper? Huh? Oh no! I'm so sorry, honey. Mommy will take care of that, right away!"

 Despite or perhaps because of Judy's cries being so faint, Betty was sure to react as though some hideous catastrophe had befallen her princess. She easily lifted Judy out of her crib and began patting her back to calm her down. Judy giggled and gave her mom a hug.

 "May I handle this one, Ma'am?" asked Charla, appearing in the doorway behind Betty. Judy had also picked out her new work uniform, a red baby tee and a pair of bright blue overalls with the words "Mommy's Little Helper" stenciled across the front. She always asked. Any excuse to take a turn changing the Spoiled Princess was good enough.

 "I'll let you handle the next one." reassured Betty, giving her daughter a kiss on the cheek. "Especially if it's a stinky one!" she stage-whispered to Judy. They laughed, including Charla.

 "You can change my dolly, Charla!" offered Judy, generously.

 "Oh, thank you, your highness!" said Charla. To all appearances, she was sincerely grateful for the opportunity. "And what would the Spoiled Princess like for her breakfast?"

 "I want Chinese food, and a blueberry smoothie,and some more special brownies!" ordered Judy.

 Betty looked concerned. "Are you certain, princess? It's awfully early in the day for brownies, and we have lots of lovely food in the fridge..."

 Judy didn't miss a beat. She was used to the token resistance her mother would put up sometimes, just so she could knock it over with ease.

 "I want Chinese food and pot brownies! Right now, Mommy!"

 Betty patted her daughter's back. "Of course, pumpkin. Mommy can never say no to you!" Which was only the simple truth. "Charla, make the arrangements, dear."

 "At once, Ma'am." said Charla with a bow.

 "And wet your pants!" ordered Judy, sticking out her tongue.

        Betty chuckled at this. Charla shook her head in exasperation. "As you wish, Princess!"

        Charla solemnly spread her legs and breathed heavily. She was still potty-trained, of course, but she couldn't deny the princess' wishes. Fortunately, she was wearing the pull-ups her current position in the household demanded. Satisfied, she dug out her phone to order Judy's favorite takeout, mentally adding changing her pull-ups and putting a grey cloud on her training chart to her to-do list. It wasn't easy serving a Spoiled Princess, but it was worth it if it made Judy happy.