Secret Admirer (Complete) (Patreon)

Part 1

Tamika Norris woke  while the sun was not yet up. She got dressed quickly and shook the sleep from her eyes. Her home was messy and cluttered, and she would have liked to have time to clean up, but not today. She only had a little time in the mornings on workdays, which was six days a week. She worked four days a week at a call center in the city, which required her to commute almost an hour a day. She wished she could afford to live closer to her work, but the economy had not been kind to her small suburb in recent years. Wednesday through Friday, she worked as a deli clerk at a local grocery store. Neither position was a big earner, but she had to do what she could to make ends meet. Today was Wednesday, so she had a shift at the call-center until 4, then she had to hurry home for a night shift at the deli. Wednesdays were not good days for her.

She had gotten her degree in French literature, and then had gotten  married straight out of college. As was so often the case, that had worked out fine for about six years. She had been a real looker at 25, and all the guys had been interested. The one she had chosen, Jeremy, had left her and their young daughter Eliza when a “younger model” had caught his eye. That had been a bitter pill to swallow, both for her and her daughter. Saddled with a degree chosen by a much younger and more naive version of herself, she had been forced to take whatever jobs were available. She had kept the spacious dream home they had bought together in the divorce settlement, but the mortgage on it was so high that she doubted he had really fought too hard on that.

That had been fifteen years ago, and little had changed. Her daughter had just finished high school, but seemed depressed and unmotivated in life. And who could blame her? Well, Tamika blamed her a bit, but it made sense that she would feel that way. She was becoming an adult, and all her experience had shown her that being an adult meant endless stress and misery. Still, the young woman had far more free time than she did right now, so you'd think she could help out with household chores a bit more. She was in her room most days, usually wrapped up in a “quest”or a “raid” that she would invariably prioritize over helping out her mother.

Last night's dishes were still sitting in the sink. Tamika checked the chore wheel that she had devised. For once, it was not her daughter's fault. The dishes had been randomly assigned to the house's other resident, Rene. Rene Travis was a little older than Eliza, the daughter of Melissa Travis, a friend that Tamika had met in college. Tamika had mentioned to Melissa during one of their rare conversations that she was considering taking on a boarder to help with the mortgage, seeing that she had an extra bedroom. Melissa mentioned that she had an older daughter that needed a little push to leave the nest, and an arrangement had been made. Theoretically, Rene was responsible for a third of the mortgage and a third of the household chores. In practice, Rene was a lackadaisical person who often delayed both paying her rent and doing her chores. Frankly, even a third of the chores was too much for Tamika's schedule to reasonably accommodate. Sunday, her one day off, was often sacrificed on the altar of having her home in some sort of order.

Tamika loaded the coffee maker, dropped a couple eggs in a pan, and went into the bathroom to put on her face. After combing her hair and applying her make-up, she looked at herself in the mirror. The gorgeous woman she had been at 25 was still there, only somewhat changed, but the years had taken their toll. Her cheeks had gotten plump, and a second chin was forming under her original one. What an irony that working so much gave her so little time for proper exercise. The worst thing though, had to be her eyes. She had been complimented so many times on the beauty of her eyes back in high school and college. They had been a vibrant, even sparkling brown, then. Now, they were the eyes of a tired woman, forced to toil day in and day out, with no future and no hope.

She sighed, then turned to check her eggs. Her coffee was finished. She had joked once that coffee was the only thing she liked about being alive. She couldn't make that kind of joke these days. It was too close to reality.

She shook her head, trying to dislodge her melancholy thoughts. Sighing and complaining wouldn't fix anything. Life had her on the ropes, it was true, but that was the time when your mettle was tested. She would endure, she would persist, and somehow or other, she would come out on top. She just wished she had a little help once in a while.

She stepped over the empty take-away containers that sat next to the couch on the way to the door. For the umpteenth time, she cursed the fact that Rene had money for Chinese but not for her rent this month. Why on earth had she added another lazy millennial to her home when she already had one?

She opened the door, and stopped. Her mind needed a second to catch up with her eyes. On the front step sat a beautifully-wrapped gift box. It had shiny red wrapping paper, lacy white ribbons tied into a delicate bow at the top, and a large card with gold, cursive lettering. Tamika instantly suspected some kind of malicious prank. It wasn't any sort of holiday. She squatted over the suspicious package and wondered who it was for, Eliza or Rene.

To: Tamika Norris

From: A Secret Admirer

Now she was certain it had to be a prank. Who in the world was “secretly admiring” her? She mentally scanned all her memories of interacting with callers and customers over the last few weeks. Nothing noteworthy stood out. She had no real friends, apart from a few co-workers she chatted with. She couldn't imagine anyone she knew going to such trouble over her. She turned over the card, hoping for additional explanation.

Dear Tamika,

Your hard work and struggles have not gone unnoticed. Your grace and endurance have not gone unappreciated. I wish to give you relief and comfort in hard times. Inside, you will find the end to all your problems and worries. May it bring you the joy that life has so long denied you.

Yours Truly,

A Secret Admirer

Tamika stared in bafflement. “The end to all your problems and worries”. What would that even look like? A million dollars? A jug of whiskey? A cattle prod to get her lazy daughter and useless boarder to do their damn work?

She picked up the elegant package and carried it inside. It was very light, whatever it was. She could hear the sound of crinkling paper inside it as she moved. She didn't want to waste a lot of time on something like this, considering that she was often late for work at the call center anyway, and didn't want to wear through her boss's patience. Still, she knew she would be thinking about it all day if she didn't open it now.

She moved a few stacks of bowls out of the way to clear a space on the countertop. She began carefully prying apart the knot at the top, hoping to save and reuse the ribbon. It proved more difficult to undo than she expected. It was tied in an elaborate bow that was unfamiliar to her, but she adamantly refused to cut it. She heard her daughter's door open, and soon the television was on. The weather report mentioned that it would rain later today. She abandoned the mystery box for a moment to go have a word with Eliza.

“Honey, could you please tidy up the living room? It's bad enough that Rene left us the dishes from last night.”

Eliza sighed, no doubt envisioning herself as Cinderella being worked to death by her ugly stepsisters. “None of this is mine! Rene was out partying last night and ordered takeout when she got home. Make her clean it up!”

“Look, every time I want either of you to clean something, you both claim the other one made the mess. I don't care! You live in the house, so you help keep it clean. That means cleaning up after people other than yourself. I should know!” said Tamika.

“I do! Seriously! I mowed the lawn just yesterday. Rene is the one who isn't pulling her weight. Why don't you yell at her about it?

Tamika narrowed her eyes. “Rene said she mowed the lawn.”

“Because Rene is a fucking liar! I've told you that.” said Eliza

“I heard that!” yelled Rene from her room.

“Probably because I said it!” shouted back Eliza.

“Explain this to me, 'Liza.” said Timika. “Why is it my job to yell at Rene when she slacks off? Why don't you do it? I work six days a week, you work three. I shouldn't have to be the only one picking up her slack. Don't act like you two aren't thick as thieves. I bet you two were gonna play PS5 as soon as I left for work.”

“About that.” said Eliza, changing the the subject. “It's after seven. Aren't you usually gone by now?”

“Not your problem. I'll be gone once I figure out the deal with this box.”

She turned and headed back into the kitchen, fully expecting to be interrupted. She wasn't.

“I found it on our front step.” said Tamika, still trying to fan the flames of curiosity. Any idea where it came from?”

Eliza didn't respond. Some local news story involving a stray cat seemed to have caught her attention.

Tamika gave up and went back to opening the box. After a few tries, she found the correct bit to pull to unravel the knot. She carefully opened the shiny paper and folded it neatly. Inside was a box that an expensive hat might come in. She reached for the lid.

She hesitated. She wanted to savor this moment. So many times in her life she had believed that joy and wonder were just around the corner: when she had graduated college, when she had married Jeremy, when Eliza was born. Then she had seen what lay beyond, and it had never been as good as what she had hoped for. Ten to one, this thing would explode, or launch a pie into her face, or contain some silly brochure or other. But right now, the box contained limitless possibility. It had come to her utterly without explanation, as though it had fallen out of the blue sky.

The refrigerator opened behind her. Rene was up, wearing a dirty tee shirt and a pair of yoga pants. She was tall and almost lanky, with dark brown hair. “Mornin' Mrs. N. Aren't you supposed to be at work?” she said, pulling a half-empty jug of milk from the fridge.

“Aren't these dishes supposed to be done right now?” snarled Tamika. Why was she the only one who was expected to keep to a schedule?

“Chill! I'll do 'em.” said Rene, adopting her “put upon” expression. “You should have seen the club last night. It got pretty nuts! Bart was all over Mel, and...”

“Well, as long as you had a good time, I guess that's all that matters!” said Tamika bitterly.

Rene ignored her. She filled one of the few remaining bowls with Cheerios, poured milk over them, and took it back to her room. She left the milk on the counter. If she had noticed the gift box on the counter, she obviously didn't think it worthy of comment.

Tamika muttered under her breath as she put the milk away. She tried to slam the refrigerator door, but air pressure prevented the cathartic banging sound. She was going to be late for work at this rate. She lifted the lid from the box.

Inside, nestled among some insulating wads of crepe paper, was a large, very shiny, purple object. It consisted of a large bulb about the size of a grapefruit, with an attached wand that ended in a little ring. She lifted the thing out of the box to examine it. It made a soft but distinctive noise as she lifted it out, like a dozen rattle snakes. It was, in fact, a baby's rattle. It was too large for any real baby to play with, but that was unmistakably what it was. It even had the words “Baby Dear” written across the top in elegant cursive script.

Tamika stared at the thing. Who on earth would send her something like this? Was it intended as some sort of very overdone insult? That didn't seem likely. This was a lot of trouble and expense to go through just to call one random woman a whiny baby. She looked through the box to see if there was anything else. All she found was another note card. All it said was:

1. Complain
2. Shake
3. Enjoy!

Tamika narrowed her eyes. She was getting later all the time, and she didn't want to upset her boss over something so frivolous. Still, opening the box hadn't removed the sense of mystery, as she had expected. She still had no idea what this weird object had to do with the message on the card. How was a rattle supposed to end all her troubles and worries?

She read both cards again. What seemed to be implied here was awfully hard to accept. She looked around. Eliza had turned off the news and was playing Call of Duty. Either that, or a war had broken out. Rene was eating her cereal in her room and probably chatting with her friends about the party. Would it be so wrong to just...

“No.” she whispered under her breath. She decided that she had wasted enough time on this foolishness. “I gotta go to work.” she growled as she tossed the weird baby toy back in the box.

She froze. The sound the rattle made as it settled into the crepe paper was nothing like the noise it had made a second ago. The whole room seemed to vibrate for a second. The sound was more like an incredibly well-orchestrated set of wind chimes, harmonious, ephemeral, and yet whimsical.

“That's me in corner. That's me in the spotlight...”

Her cell rang as the chimes faded, playing a song that had been popular when she was in high school. It was her boss from the call center. Why was she calling? Tamika wouldn't even be late for another fifteen minutes. She picked up and tried to be nonchalant.

“Morning Mabel. I'll be there soon! I just...”

“Have you already left?” asked Mabel, sounding out of breath

“Uh...not yet.” admitted Tamika sheepishly.

“Oh good! Look, the center is going to closed today. Apparently we have a major mite problem. We'll have to stay closed for a few days while the whole place is fumigated.”

“Oh, that's a shame.” said Tamika, trying to keep the glee out of her voice.

“I guess. We all get paid the same, either way! Er...don't tell my boss I said that.”

“Mum's the word.” said Tamika, allowing some of her glee into her voice.

“What?” asked Mabel.

“I said I won't. Do you need anything from me?” asked Tamika.

“Not today. I'll let you know when the center is open again. Have a nice day!”

“You too.” said Timika. She ended the call.

Tamika took a moment to savor this good fortune. Deep breath in. Deep breath out. She still had the shift at the deli later today, but now she had hours of time to herself. Unexpected time off is truly one of life's great joys.

Then she turned back to rattle. She picked it up again, and shook it. The only sound it produced sounded like small rocks rolling around within.

She stared at the silly-looking purple thing. It could be a coincidence. Sure it could...

It would be grossly close-minded, however, not to give it another test.

“I want these dishes to be clean.” she stated aloud, and gave the rattle a shake. The ordinary rattling noise it produced was barely audible over the sounds from the TV.

“Jeez, I heard!” called Eliza from the living room, over the sound of machine guns and grenades. “Check the chore wheel. Still Rene's job!”

Tamika gritted her teeth. “Why can't she listen to me when I'm actually talking to her?” she thought. The rattle had not done its thing this time, She realized that technically what she had said was more of a request than a complaint.

“Like you do shit around here either!” spat Tamika.

She looked at the rattle in her hand. Slowly, cautiously, she gave it a shake.

The lovely tingling music spilled out from the small motion. Tamika knew that lies and trickery are common in the world, but she was stumped as to how this rattle could know whether she had just complained or not.

As the tingling music faded, the house suddenly fell silent. Tamika realized that her daughter had just turned the TV off.

Eliza appeared in the kitchen, carrying an armload of empty take-out boxes and random trash. She emptied her arms into the kitchen trash, then turned to the chore-wheel. Before Tamika could react, she tore the poster off the wall and dropped it into the trash as well.

“Hey!” said Tamika, finally finding her voice. “What are you doing? I spent time making that young lady!”

Eliza turned to her and smiled. Tamika wasn't sure she liked the look of that smile. It was oddly blissful, almost as though Eliza had just finished a mind-shattering orgasm.

“Mom, I'm sorry that you put so much work into that, but that chore wheel is just ridiculous. Dividing the housework between all of us is just creating more hassle and conflict. I think it's time I stepped up and said enough is enough.”

Tamika wasn't sure how to react. She stared at her daughter dumbfounded.

Eliza turned and began organizing the sinks as she spoke, filling one with hot soapy water.

“Rene has made it clear that she doesn't want to do anything, and you're stressing yourself out trying to do this and all your own work. It would make a lot more sense for me to handle all the household chores from now on.”

Tamika could not believe her ears. Not twenty minutes ago, her daughter had acted like even picking up some garbage was an unreasonable demand. She watched her daughter hum gently to herself as she loaded the dishwasher.

“Nice rattle, by the way. Where did you get that?” Eliza asked conversationally.

“It was a...present. From a friend.” said Tamika, hoping that she was telling the truth.

“That's nice. It's really cute. Have you had breakfast?” she asked.

“Uh, yeah. Why?”

“I just wondered if you wanted anything. I'll make Rene something once the dishes are done.”

“She just had a bowl of cereal.” pointed out Tamika.

“Oh, that's hardly a breakfast! I'll make her some banana pancakes.” said Eliza.

It occurred to Tamika that a couple of fried eggs and some coffee also barely qualified as a breakfast. “That sounds good, actually.”

“Great!” said Eliza. She was already nearly done loading the dishwasher. “It'll be ready soon enough. Why don't you go play with your new toy while get the kitchen sorted?”

“...yeah, sounds good.” said Tamika. She kept glancing over her shoulder as she left the kitchen.

Once out of sight, she looked down at the rattle. Her earlier doubts had evaporated in the face of her daughter's uncharacteristic behavior. Getting her to turn off the PlayStation  was enough of a miracle alone to qualify anyone for sainthood. What she was holding in her hands, she knew, was a piece of magic. The question remained: whose magic? She had complained that her daughter didn't do anything around the house, and now she was basically offering to play maid to her and Rene. There was something else, as well. Why was it shaped like a rattle? Why did it say “Baby Dear”? Why had her daughter spoken to her as though she was a child, and playing with a rattle was totally normal? She was not wholly comfortable with this idea, and yet it also excited her. If she kept using the rattle, what would it do next? Did it have some agenda of its own? Part of her wanted to hide the thing away, or even try to destroy it, before it completely transformed her life. But another, somewhat stronger part, wondered whether completely transforming her life might be such a bad thing.

Tamika sat down on the couch. She realized that between her busy work schedule and her two housemates' busy entertainment schedule, she rarely had the couch to herself. She grabbed the PS4 controller and opened Netflix. After five minutes of searching through the numerous options, she gave up.

“How can there be so many options and still nothing good to watch?” she said to herself.

She looked at the rattle beside her.

“Ah, what the hell?” she thought mischievously as she gave it a single shake. The room filled with the wonderful chimes.

The screen in front of her filled with static for a moment. Then, it began to rapidly shuffle through different images. The colors became more vibrant, and the shapes began to melt and swim across the screen. An orchestra began to play soft, lilting music. Tamika's eyes were drawn into the swirling, heaving shapes. It felt as though the screen itself had disappeared, and the intense colors were all around her. Images and voices began to emerge from the chaos.  There was the sound of laughter and pictures of happy, smiling faces all around her. She smiled too, as she stared into the screen. She couldn't focus on any one voice or face, but she felt the totally unconditional approval that radiated from every direction. Everyone was looking at her, and instead of feeling self-conscious, she felt utterly and thoroughly loved. Her whole body melted into blissful relaxation.

The swirling colors began to become more coherent. A cloud of iridescent blue ribbons slipped through the orange and pink waves and wrapped themselves together. They formed the image of a friendly-looking blue teddy bear. It was wearing a set of light blue overalls. The bear's outer surface constantly shifted in texture, becoming fluffy and felt-like one moment, glossy and plasticy the next, and then smooth and textureless, like a cartoon. The bear waved at her. She waved back.

“Hi Tamika!” said the bear in a squeaky voice. Tamika giggled. “Hello!” she replied.

“It's a great day today, isn't it?” said the bear excitedly.

Tamika nodded her head excitedly. It really was.

“Nothing bad can happen today! Only good things!” said the bear, doing a backflip and waving its little stuffed arms. Behind the bear, the clouds resolved briefly into a herd of charging unicorns, before melting back into colors and lights. Tamika clapped.

The music struck a sudden discord and ground to a halt. The bear clutched its belly. “Ooh, I'm hungry! Where will I find food?”

The music pick up again. “Ha! If I get hungry, there is always plenty!” said the bear, rubbing its little tummy. A baby bottle drifted by from the right side of the screen. The background seemed to be full of women's bouncing breasts as the bear lifted the bottle and dramatically drained it, like a frat boy draining a beer can. It threw the bottle down on the invisible ground, where it bounced with a loud “Boing!”, and rocketed away into space. Tamika laughed.

The music changed. Soft, comforting music gave way to tense, dramatic music. Dark, threatening shadows began to seep in to the background behind the bear. The bear began craning its little head to look around, all in time to the musical stings. Tamika leaned forward, her brow furrowing.

“I'm not scared! Nothing can hurt me!” announced the bear. Suddenly, the bear's feet became rockets, and the music soared as he flew this way and that, punching the fanged monstrosities that formed out of the chaos. He kept moving faster and faster, until he delivered one final, mighty blow that filled the screen with blinding light.

Tamika gave the bear a standing ovation. It settled back down on the non-existent ground. But something was different. Tamika realized the bear's crotch was dripping wet.

“Oh no! I must have wet myself in all that excitement! How embarrassing!” Tamika felt sorry for the nice little bear, but she couldn't stop herself from giggling at his embarrassment.

“Oh, my Mommy was right! I'm not ready for big bear pants! Oh well, back into diapers I go!”

The music swelled again. The background became a maze of pictures of diapers. Stacks of diapers, diapers flying around like birds, bulging plastic packages of diapers. The bear's wet overalls dropped down through the bottom of the screen, and a diaper flew in from the right and came up between the bear's legs. The bear began to dance with joy as the tapes came down with little crinkling sounds. It bounced up and down on its padded butt as the screen faded to black.

Tamika sat on the couch. She was suddenly wondering how much time had just passed. She noticed that a small stack of banana pancakes had been left for her on a little side table. She picked them up and began to eat. The washing machine was on in the garage, and the dishwasher was on in the kitchen, filling the house with rumbling noises. She pulled out her cellphone, and found that nearly two hours had passed, even though it had felt like minutes. She tried to recall what the show had been about, but her memory was hazy. She certainly couldn't recall what about the program could have been so fascinating that she lost all track of time. With a start, her hand shot to her crotch of her jeans. It was dry, as per usual. She wasn't sure why that surprised her, but it did.

“Oh, you're back!” said Eliza cheerily as she emerged from the back hallway. “You really got into those cartoons of yours. How are the pancakes?”

“They're really good! Thank you.” said Tamika. “When did you learn to cook?”

“They're just pancakes, Mom! They're not high cuisine!” giggled Eliza.

Tamika couldn't recall the last time Eliza had giggled. She might have been about eleven. She noticed that her daughter had also changed clothes since the last time she had seen her. Her dirty t-shirt with a metal album cover had been replaced with a clean, pressed, button up blouse. More surprising, she wore a bright, white country apron. She looked a little like a 50's housewife. Tamika took another bite of her pancakes while she considered how to broach the topic.

“Sooo...what's with the get-up?”

“Oh, this?” she said, glancing down at herself. For an instant, Tamika thought she saw a flash of surprise on her daughter's face, as though she were uncertain herself about her outfit. “It's just something I found in my closet. I was out of clean clothes, so I put it on to do the laundry. Neat, huh?”

“...Yeah.” said Tamika. It was “neat”, although she wouldn't have expected Eliza to ever think so, let alone say so. Just how much had the rattle changed her?

“Do you need anything, Mom? Anything at all?” she asked, still with that odd smile.

“I'm fine, thanks. I'm sorry I got angry at you this morning, honey. It's been nice just to be able to sit down and relax for a little while. You can relax too, you know. You've been working hard. Why not sit down and play your game for a little while?” asked Tamika hopefully.

Eliza just chuckled. “Oh Mother, the day has hardly begun, and I have so much work left to do! All the ironing, and folding, and vacuuming, and have you seen Rene's room? What a pigsty! I don't think I have time for silly games anymore.”

“Well, there's no need to do everything yourself. Why don't I take care of the vacuuming, and then we can double-team the laundry? We can fold clothes in front of the TV and have a nice chat. And as for Rene's room, screw it! She's a grown-up and she can wallow in filth if she wants.”

Eliza grinned and shook her head. “Oh, Mother! You have such an imagination. Don't worry, I love looking after the house. There's no need for you to worry about any of that boring stuff. You should be thinking about your toys and cartoons, not laundry and dishes!”

Tamika cocked her eyebrow. “I gotta ask, 'Liza. How old do you think I am?”

Eliza adopted a quizzical expression. “Aren't you forty-six? Did you forget?”

“No! I just want to know why you keep talking to me like I'm four years old!”

“Do I?” asked Eliza skeptically.

“Yes! Don't you think that's a little odd?”

Eliza tapped a fingertip against her bottom lip. “I guess...maybe...I don't really know. I just look at you, and I think how adorable and precious you are. I just want to take care of you and make you happy. Does that make sense?”

Tamika didn't say anything. She just looked down at the rattle. There was something sinister about it. She knew that for certain now. Things were changing in ways that she could not control or predict. It had basically turned Eliza's entire personality inside-out in response to one little complaint.

“Eliza, are you happy?” she asked.

“Oh yes, Mother! I feel better than I have in a long time.” said Eliza with a warm smile.

Tamika smiled and nodded. Hearing that made her feel a lot less guilty.

“I'm glad.” she said.

“Well, I have more cleaning to do while I wait for the washing machine. Let me know if you want anything, Mother!” said Erika, heading back toward the hallway.

Tamika picked up the rattle again. “Alright, little buddy. You have some explaining to do.”

Part 2

Tamika adopted an imitation of a whiny child's voice. “I don't understand this!”

She shook the rattle, and musical tingling spread through the air.

The TV came to life once more, showing the undulating clouds of vibrant color. The blue teddy bear slid onto the screen once more, still shifting textures every few seconds, and still wearing the diaper it had acquired at the end of the last show. The strange music swelled once more, but Tamika steadfastly refused to listen. She set her teeth and shook her head, keeping her mind clear.

“Hello, Tamika! Back so soon?” said the bear in its chipper little voice.

“Are you going to tell me what's really going on here?” asked Tamika, frowning at the cute little stuffed animal.

“Of course! There are no secrets between us.” said the bear.

“Great. Was it you who sent me the rattle?” she demanded.

“Only sorta!” answered the bear, rocking its head back and forth.

“Try again.” said Tamika, giving the adorable bear a warning glare.

“Things are complicated on the higher levels of reality, Tamika. In a sense, I sent you the rattle. In a sense, the universe sent you the rattle. In a sense, you sent yourself the rattle. In a sense, there is no rattle. In a sense, there is no you. Understand?”

“How in the hell would I ever understand that gibberish?” asked Tamika.

“You can't! You're tampering with forces beyond your comprehension! Isn't it exciting?”

Tamika admitted to herself that it was. Whatever else may be said about her little gift, it hadn't made her life boring.

“Can you explain why the rattle seems to want to turn me into a little kid?” she asked.

“Easy!” cheered the bear, doing a backflip. “You want it to. The rattle was drawn to you by your subconscious wishes. If you hadn't wanted it, it would have gone somewhere else. The reason its making you more childish is that on some level, you want to escape from your adulthood. It responds to your real desires, Tamika, not just your words. Every time you use the rattle, it will bring you closer to your ideal existence. If that includes making you more childish, then that's what will happen.”

“Being dissatisfied about how my life has turned out is not the same as wanting to escape adulthood.” said Tamika, hoping that she was saying was true.

The bear crossed its little arms. “Well, if that's how you feel, you better get rid of the rattle! Smash it, or throw it away. Everything will go back to the way it was before. Erika will be lazy and depressed, you'll be exhausted and miserable, everybody wins!”

Tamika stared at the bear. As much as she now hated the adorable little bastard, it had a point.

“Alright. I've heard enough. You're annoying.” she said, and gave the rattle a shake. The bear sank into the background to the sound of ringing chimes.

Tamika rose from the couch and began pacing back and forth. She still had plenty of time before she had to be at work, and she had what basically amounted to a magic wand in her hand. Of course, one shake of her rattle and her work could be done for the day. Or even longer. Could this thing give her money? Well, that seemed like something worth knowing. She considered how to phrase her complaint.

“I'm broke all the damn time.” she finally said aloud. The chimes sounded as she shook the rattle.

There was a long silence as she waited for any sign of an effect. She nearly jumped when her phone rang. She didn't recognize the number.

“Hello?”

“Hello! Is this Tamika Norris?” said a dignified-sounding older gentleman.

“Yes, who is this?”

“My name is Horace Baumgartner. I'm a Wealth Management Specialist with the Zurich Cantonal Bank. I just wanted to touch bases with you about this transfer order we just received. Everything appears to be in order, I just wanted to assure you that your account is now available to you, and that we are entirely at your service. If you check your account at your local Credit Union, you will see that the twenty-five million has been received and should be available to you within three business days.”

Tamika inhaled sharply. “Did...did you say twenty-five...”

“...million U.S. Dollars, yes. That amount is correct, I trust?”

“yes, that's uh...that's correct.”

“Excellent. Now your full account information will be sent to you by this coming Friday. I apologize for the delay, but for obvious reasons that information has to be conveyed by a bonded courier. I hope that the twenty-five million will be sufficient for your needs until then?”

Tamika had to remind herself to breathe. “Ya! Ya, I'll...manage.”

“Very good, Madam. If you find yourself in need of additional funds, we can of course arrange a line of credit for you. Do you have any questions?”

“Uh...” she thought quickly. “Did you say that the twenty-five million isn't even the entire account?”

“Far from it, madam. Let me see here...yes, the current account balance here is sixteen billion, seven-hundred and forty-five million, six hundred eighty-five thousand, one hundred and three dollars and twelve cents. Madam, are you still there? I heard a noise.”

Tamika rubbed her butt as she got to her feet. “Yes, I'm fine. Fine. Everything's great.”

“Lovely. Well, this is my private number. I recommend adding it to your contacts so that you can reach me. Given the size of the account, we are quite happy to serve you in any way you please.”

“Thank you.” said Tamika, trying to force her voice to steady.

“Good day, madam.” said Horace. He hung up.

Tamika walked around in a daze for several minutes. Sixteen billion. No, closer to seventeen. That made her one of the wealthiest human beings on earth. No one kept that kind of money in a bank account, it was absurd. She wondered where the money had come from. Obviously, it came from the rattle's magic, but where did everyone think it came from? There had to be tax records and a paper trail for that kind of money. It was equivalent to the GDP of a small country. One thing was certain. The rattle did absolutely nothing by half-measures. Then she remembered how the bear had said that anything she did with the rattle would cause her life to become more childish. She wondered what that would look like this time. To her surprise, she didn't feel frightened by the prospect at all. If anything, she was excited to see how her life would change next. She ran to the bathroom.

For the second time that day, she looked in the mirror. Sure enough, she had changed. She could almost understand why Eliza was reacting to her so differently. There was no change that anyone would notice at a distance. Her height and weight and general outline were no different. However, she noticed that her skin looked more healthy and vibrant than it had this morning. Her nose had changed in a way she found difficult to pin down. It had never been a noteworthy feature of hers, but now it seemed...perhaps a little smaller, a little smoother in shape. Put simply, it was cute. There was no other word for it. Her nose invited everyone who saw it to walk up and give it a boop.

Her eyes had changed the most, though. They looked keen, eager, energetic. They might even have been larger, and definitely brighter. They didn't sparkle, exactly, but they looked as though they might sparkle at any moment. Tamika realized that she was definitely being transformed, if subtly.

She closed her eyes. There was just too much to take in all at once. This rattle could literally give her anything she desired. She had wanted to no longer have to worry about money, and now she was suddenly obscenely rich. She was feeling down about her aging face, and now it was bursting with youthful vitality. She couldn't truly control what the rattle did, not really. Still, she liked it. She wanted to keep going.

She thought about what she really wanted to try next. For years, almost all of her time and energy had been eaten up by worrying about money. Now that that problem had been buried at the crossroads with a stake through the heart, she could focus on enjoying herself. But how?

She chuckled at herself. She was overthinking this. The rattle could give her what she wanted even if she didn't know what it was. Why was she thinking, when she could be complaining?

“This house...is boring.” she complained. Chimes filled the bathroom.

She opened the door. She glanced around the kitchen, searching for anything out of place.

There was plenty. The oven was now an old-fashioned stove constructed from large blocks of gray stone. Above the sink was a stained glass window, showing an artist's rendering of her own face, staring off to the side. The linoleum floor was now a tile recreation of Van Gogh's “Starry Night”. The plain drywall ceiling had been replaced with a wooden, vaulted ceiling that reminded Tamika of a medieval tavern. The dishwasher looked like something of a cheesy science fiction movie, with a shiny metallic finish and dozens of colorful, blinking lights. The refrigerator was finished in bronze, had dozens of copper pipes running into and around it, and was decorated with etchings of men with scythes harvesting grain.

“Hello Tamika!” said the dishwasher in an excited squeal. Tamika jumped.

“Screw it.” thought Tamika. “Hello, Dishwasher!” she happily returned, the futuristic appliance's greeting. She moved on. She couldn't wait to see the rest of the house.

The dining room had several classical Greek marble pillars. The  table was shaped like a boomerang and formed from a single piece of polished rose quartz. The wall behind was covered by a massive waterfall, which also serve to keep the room cool. The ceiling here was a bronze plate with a detailed topographical map of the earth in bas relief.

The living room now had a playpen. There were other features as well, such as the twelve foot television covering an entire wall, the ceiling that was comprised of a huge aquarium tank,  and the back wall which sported a life-size Mayan calendar. But the play-pen definitely deserved first billing. It was so large that the entire room had been expanded to accommodate it. The walls and floor were inflatable, made from a yellow rubber-like material that looked like Mylar. Inside was a collection of dozens of stuffed animals, very few of which were smaller than four feet in height. There were bears, elephants, lions, giraffes, ponies, octupuses, and others, and they were available in dozens of colors. Tamika felt the glossy wall of the play-pen, and found it impossibly soft and smooth, almost like gelatin. She imagined what it would feel like to nestle in that soft surface, cuddled up among all the stuffed animals. It looked unbelievably comfy.

“Hey, Cutie!” Tamika jumped a little as Rene came up behind her. “You want to go in the playpen? Is that it?”

Tamika wanted to be angry at being spoken to like this, but she found that it really didn't bother her. Rene didn't sound like she was making fun of her, just talking to her like she was a toddler. “I don't suppose you think it's at all strange that we now live in a deranged millionaire's house?” asked Tamika.

Rene shrugged. “I guess. Just didn't seem worth making a big deal over. You're looking great, by the way. I just wanna pinch your little cheek!”

Tamika flinched, but allowed Rene to go in for her pinch. Tamika found that she liked the attention, especially from someone as attractive as Rene. Tamika hadn't dated anyone since college, where she had had relationships with classmates of both genders. That part of her life had been on hold for a long time, but now, everything was on the table again. She smiled at the younger woman.

“So, has Eliza finished cleaning your room?” she asked, conversationally.

Rene rolled her eyes. “She's in there now, going through my stuff. I tried to stop her, but she has this weird energy now. She just thinks its her job to clean up everything. I'm kinda scared of her, to be honest.”

“I wouldn't worry about it. I'm sure the place will look great when she's done.” said Tamika

“Sure. It just never bothered me. I don't want my room to be like everyone else's room, ya know? I want it to be my place. I guess I'll just have to wait until she's done and mess it up some more!”

Tamika chuckled. “What a brat! You just want to make messes all the time and make someone else clean up after you, don't you?”

Rene shrugged. “Yeah. That's pretty fair. I mean, doesn't everyone want that?”

Tamika wasn't surprised by this response. Yesterday, it would have made her furious, since she was the one who had to pick up the slack. Now, though, Rene's words struck a chord with her. She thought she understood now why the rattle had come to her, and what it wanted for her. And she wanted the same thing. She grabbed Rene's hand.

“What? What do you want?” asked Rene, feebly trying to break free.

“Come on. I want to see my room.”

Tamika's room disappointed her. It was bigger than it had been. The walls were covered in tasteful oil paintings. There were brass candlesticks all around the room, as well as on a chandelier hanging from the ceiling, that flared to life inexplicably when she turned on the lights. Her bed was a massive four-poster with thick green blankets and a pile of artfully arranged pillows. The walnut dresser was topped with two bronze temple dogs.  It was luxurious, and it was far from boring. But it didn't kindle her joy in the way that the massive playpen in the living room had.

“Eliza! Come in here, please.” shouted Tamika.

Eliza hurried in, presumably from Rene's room. “Yes, Mother?”

Tamika sat on her new bed and addressed the two women.

“You've probably noticed a few changes around the house recently.” said Tamika.

They both shrugged and nodded. It was clear that the magic of the rattle did not allow them to experience these transformations as the impossible, awe-inspiring wonders that they were, which was convenient. It removed a lot of needless staring, eye-popping, and tedious exclamations of “Oh my, but this cannot be!” and such. Tamika pressed on.

“For instance, Eliza has decided to take care of all the cleaning and organizing in the house, isn't that right?”

Eliza frowned and nodded. It all seemed a little obvious.

“So, to clarify, Rene and I will make messes, and you'll be cleaning up after us.” said Tamika.

“Of course.” said Eliza.

“And you're fine with that? It doesn't seem...I don't know...unfair? Demeaning?”

Eliza scoffed. “What? No, of course not! I love cleaning, and you two obviously hate it. This is just the only reasonable way to do things. What's wrong with that?”

Tamika tapped her chin. “Rene? How do you feel about that?”

“It's fine. Kinda cool, actually.” she said.

“Great! So here's the deal. I've just come in to...well, basically more money than I could possibly ever spend. So, I want to arrange our lives in a way that's going to be fun for all of us.”

Tamika waited for the gasps of disbelief, but like everything else, they just took this news in stride.

“So I was thinking...Rene, you don't seem to want to work, like, at all. Is that right? Be honest.”

Rene shrugged. “I guess. I mean, don't people basically work because they have to?”

Tamika shook her head. “No. A lot of people find work very emotionally fulfilling. Like Eliza.”

Eliza smiled.

“Still, everything is optional now. I can make things how I want them to be. So, I think it would be very cool if both Rene and I were just...off the hook, as far as work goes. No chores, no jobs, just getting taken care of. How would you both feel about that?

Eliza and Rene looked at each other. Rene was blushing fiercely, but neither one could keep the grins off their faces. “I think that would be awesome! So, I would be in charge of you two?” she asked.

Tamika laughed. “Dream on, girl! I'm still paying the bills, so I'll be the one in charge. You'll be more like a housekeeper or a maid.”

“A maid! That's great! I kinda look like one, don't I?” chuckled Eliza.

“Rene?” asked Tamika, looking at Rene's grinning, blushing face.

She cast her eyes downward and fidgeted nervously. “Um, so...like...you're saying that I could just live here, and do whatever, and you'll...take care of me?”

Tamika grinned. Rene was so adorable right now. “That's right! No bills, no chores, no worries. You can smoke weed and play video games all day if you like. Now, really think about this, because there will be consequences. Are you sure?”

Rene's face was like a ripe cherry. Tamika could sense her reluctance, but also her eagerness. This was a dream come true for her, even if she didn't want to admit it. “So...I would be like...what, exactly?”

Tamika stood up. She felt so powerful, so utterly in control. Even knowing where she was about to end up, she loved that feeling. She reached out, and lifted Rene's chin in her hand. “You would be mine, sweetheart. My toy, my pet, my plaything. You would exist entirely to please me. You would play with me, and obey me, and bend to my every whim. How would you feel about that?”

Rene's eyes widened as she heard Tamika say these words. Eliza's did as well. This wasn't something mundane like the entire house magically rearranging itself. They had never heard Tamika say anything like this. Tamika felt her own heart race as the the moment stretched on. She thought for a second that she had gone too far, that she had shown more of herself than she ever intended to. Never outside of her own private thoughts, usually under the covers late at night, had she ever dared to wish for something like this.

Rene took a deep breath. Tamika thought she might be about to break into a run. Instead, she dropped to her knees in front of Tamika. She reached out and embraced her legs. In a tiny whispering voice, she said, “...yes, please.”

Eliza started shrieking with laughter. “Oh my gawd. You two are...Wow! Kinky.”

Tamika patted Rene affectionately on the head. “Not too late to back out, you know. After this, it's a one-way trip down the rabbit hole. I have so had enough of normal. Things are gonna get weird around here.”

Eliza put her hand on her mother's shoulder. “I'm not going anywhere, Mom. This is a good weird! Let's go for it!”

Tamika gave the rattle a kiss. “This room doesn't suit me.”

The sound of ringing chimes whipped through the room. Everything around Tamika dissolved into a cloud of dust, which then resettled into new forms. The four-poster bed became a huge crib full of pillows. The tasteful artwork on the walls became posters of various children's cartoon shows and Disney movies.. The bronze temple dogs became two large stuffed elephants, one white and one purple. The floor was a thick purple carpet. The chandelier transformed into an oversized mobile of smiling stars and spinning rocket ships. Two large bookshelves sprouted from the ground. The dresser expanded into a walk-in wardrobe.

There was silence as the three women glanced around the room. “Well?” asked Tamika. “What do you think of my new digs?”

Eliza stared dreamily at the transformed room. “It's funny. I've known you my whole life, and yet it feels like I'm finally getting to know the real you. This is...perfect for you.”

Tamika listened with half an ear as she climbed into her crib. The mattress felt wonderfully soft and springy under her feet. Grinning wickedly, she began jumping up and down. Looking up, she realized the the ceiling had a recessed area above her crib that made it perfect for jumping.

“Mooom!” said Eliza, her voice whiny but her face smiling. “You never let me do that when I was little!”

“And you still can't!” yelled Tamika, grinning and blowing a raspberry. “But Rene can! Get up here!”

Rene hesitated, but Eliza gave her pat on the back to encourage her. “Hey, you heard your new Mistress! Get up there, you little plaything!”

Rene stuck out her tongue at Eliza, but she jumped up and joined Tamika. Soon the two were laughing and having a pillow fight. “This is fantastic!” said Tamika as she smacked Rene with a stuffed rhino. “Let's throw a party tonight. I haven't been to a party in ages!”

Rene bounced back up and launched a kitten at Tamika. “Uh, a party with who? Do you even know anyone?”

“You can just invite your usual crowd. I'll get to show off my new place, and you can tell all your friends about your new living arrangements!”

“Ummm...” Rene stuttered and blushed again.

“Hmm?” Tamika cupped a hand to her ear. “What was that?”

Rene exhaled. “But...c'mon! That's gonna be really embarrassing! Can't we just, like, keep this on the down low?”

Tamika frowned, but she knew what to do when things weren't going her way. She reached for her rattle.

“Awww! You're no fun!” she whined, giving the rattle a shake.

When the chimes faded into the background, Rene was on her phone.

“Yeah! I'll text you the address. The place is amazing, and you won't believe how rich she is! Oh, yeah, loaded like nobody's business. I'm basically just gonna be her little bitch from now on. What? No, why would I mind? Oh, you're being silly! It's awesome, don't worry. Alright, see you soon!”

Tamika and Eliza listened in awe as Rene called every friend and acquaintance she had, excitedly informing all of them that she had an awesome Mistress who was throwing a party tonight. It was clear from the tone that many of her friends had uncomfortable, probing questions about these arrangements, but it was also clear that Rene no longer cared in the slightest. Like Eliza, the rattle had brought her into alignment with Tamika's desires.

Tamika remembered that she had a phone call of her own to make. Given her newfound wealth, there was no real need to let the store manager at the deli know that she wouldn't be coming in today. Still, she knew one or two of her co-workers could use the extra shift, so it would be selfish to no-show. Besides...

“Tamika? What's going on?” said Bernard, her store manager.

“I'm just calling to let you know that I'm not coming in today.”

“What? Come on! Get the hell in here! I don't even care if you're sick!”

“I'm not sick. I just hate you. You're an awful manager, and a bad person in general.”

“WHAT!”

“Well, and also I'm independently wealthy now, but honestly, I'd come in anyway if not for that first thing.”

“ARE YOU F...” began Bernard, but Tamika hung up on him mid-sentence. She sighed with joy. She had dreamed of doing that for the better part of a decade.

“Alright, I called everyone, and so far I have three yeses and four maybes.” said Rene excitedly.

“Wonderful. Go get dressed in something cute for the party.” ordered Tamika.

Rene scampered off to her room.

“Eliza, you make sure we have plenty of beer and snacks and whatever the kids these days will want for a party.” said Tamika.

“Of course, Mother.” said Eliza with a little bow.

Tamika returned to the living room and collapsed into the giant playpen. Sure enough, it was the most comfortable she had ever been. Her old bed had been like sleeping on a pile of broken concrete in comparison. She loved the way the malleable floor hugged her ass. She wondered what it would be like to be naked in her new playpen. A thought well-worth exploring, but right now, she had some TV to catch up on.

Part 3

She decided to forego the programming created by the rattle. She didn't want to be entranced when her guests started arriving. She started looking through Netflix for something appropriate to someone in a playpen. When Rene emerged from her room, Tamika was well into an episode of “Doc McStuffins”, and was enjoying it thoroughly.

“How do I look, Mistress?” asked Rene, bouncing up to Tamika.

She was wearing a set of fleece footie pajamas with the images of the two main heroines of the movie “Frozen” on the front. Her hair was tied into a pair of pigtails.

“You look absolutely adorable.” said Tamika, which was only a truthful assessment.

Rene settled down beside Tamika and put her head on her shoulder. “You too. Mistress.”

Tamika swept Rene into her arms, and the two woman sat and watched cartoons together. Eliza left the house and returned a couple times with groceries, and was heard puttering around in the kitchen, but Tamika and Rene simply ignored her. They were too busy. They lay with their backs resting on a stuffed lion as big as either of them, cuddling and stroking each other affectionately. Before long,  they began exchanging a few light kisses. The hours passed, and they became more and more comfortable together.

Finally, there came a knock at the door.

“Should I go get that, Mistress?” asked Rene.

Tamika gave her a peck on the cheek. “No need. We have people to do these things.”

Sure enough, Eliza opened the door.

“Wow! Cool costume, Eliza!”

“It's not a...you know what, never mind. Come on in, Denise. Rene is right through here.”

“Damn! She wasn't kidding, was she? This place is...wooaaahh.” Denise was so busy craning her neck to examine the bizarre decor that she missed the playpen until she was practically on top of it.

“Hi Denise!” said Rene, waving excitedly.

“Uh, geez. You're looking...different.” said Denise, obviously disturbed by her friends dramatic shift in fashion sense.

“Oh, that!” said Rene, grinning and tossing her pigtails. “Mistress told me to dress cute for the party, so I had to!”

“Well, you're definitely cute.” said Denise, settling down on the floor next to the playpen. “Not as cute as your Mistress, though!” she finished, suddenly shifting tone as her eyes settled on Tamika.

“Oh, thanks!” said Tamika, giving Rene a squeeze.

“You two are adorable together! Are you watching “Paw Patrol?”

Tamika felt a flash of embarrassment being caught watching something so completely juvenile, but she dismissed it. She reminded herself that this was her party, and she could do as she pleased.

“Yep! A bit of a throwback theme here! We can watch something else, though, if you'd prefer. Here, why don't you sit down with us?”

Denise smiled nervously. “Y'know, I think I'm good. Just kinda swinging by, really. Good seeing you though, Rene.”

Tamika had been hoping that Denise would turn out to be open-minded enough for the kind of celebration she was picturing. If she wasn't though, no big deal.

“Oh, come on, Denise.” said Tamika, raising her rattle. “You're so uptight!”

When the chimes faded, Denise was already climbing over the short barrier that surrounded the playpen.

“You're right! I should just take a load off and enjoy myself!” Denise cuddled up with Tamika on her opposite side.

“There's nothing good on!” whined Tamika, in order to summon her new favorite channel. Denise and Rene soon became enraptured as the swirling colors filled the screen, accompanied by cheerful orchestral music. Tamika felt her eyes and thoughts being drawn toward the inviting swirl. This time, instead of resisting, she made a conscious decision to relax her thoughts and let the vibrant colors suffuse her consciousness. The warm, blissful feeling of staring in awe at the screen returned to her, and she welcomed it.

“Wha...what is...ahh.” said Denise softly as she became lost in the soaring music. Voices and images began to trickle into the colorful screen, just on the edge of conscious awareness. The bright colors gradually softened into cheerful pastels, which then mellowed into cool whiteness. Then, the music changed. The orchestral score was replaced by a somber piano tune, like something out of an old silent film. Shades of gray began to mix with the soft whiteness, gradually resolving into a black-and-white image.

A woman stood alone in a bathroom. The music struck a discord as she approached the toilet, as though a monster were hiding in it. The woman was dressed in a bathrobe and pajamas, like she had just woken up, although her elaborate make-up and styled hair undermined this image. She winced and held her nose theatrically. She crept up on the toilet like she was approaching a sleeping dragon. She cautiously lifted the lid, but it suddenly snapped down like an alligator's jaws, sending the poor woman jumping backward.. Her shoulders stooped and she stamped her foot, all without making any audible sound.

The music changed to an upbeat tune, and with a jingling of bells and a flash of animated sparkles, another woman appeared in the bathroom. She was dressed in flowing white robes, and had little wings and a halo to complete her angel costume.

“Hey there, Suzie! Do you need the potty?” said the Angel with a friendly smile.

“Suzie” silently returned the Angel's smile, and nodded her head.

“Oh, but you don't like the potty, do you Suzie?” asked the Angel.

Suzie frowned and shook her head, the music accompanying every motion.

“The potty is so gross and scary, isn't it?” said the Angel knowingly.

The mute woman again held her nose in disdain.

“And it's such a hassle to stop what you're doing every...single...time you have to go, isn't it?” said the Angel.

Suzie again indicated her unreserved agreement, enthusiastically but silently.

The camera shifted, so that the friendly angel was addressing the audience. “Surely there has to be a better way!”

Suzie threw up her hands in frustration, an exaggerated quizzical expression on her face.

“Come on, Suzie! You can do it! Where else could you go besides the potty?” asked the Angel.

Suzie stuck a finger to her chin and squinted hard for a few beats. Finally, her face lit up and she jabbed her finger in the air. With a jingling sound effect, her bathrobe vanished, leaving her naked except for a comically-thick cloth diaper.

The music suddenly changed from cheerful to doleful again. The Angel put her hands to her cheeks in shock. “What! Suzie, shame on you! How can you even think such a thing! What are you, a baby?”

Suzie's bottom lip quivered. Her hair was now done up in pigtails, with big white bows.

“A big baby who sucks her thumb and needs a babysitter to keep her butt clean?” continued the visibly disgusted Angel.

The camera cut back to Suzie, whose thumb was indeed in her mouth. She glanced down at it in shock, and jerking it out in embarrassment. Then she glanced behind herself, to see another woman with a diaper bag over one shoulder and an indulgent smile on her face. The babysitter gave her little wave. She glanced back at the Angel, her eyes wide and her cheeks blushing bright pink, in contrast to the monotone surroundings.

“Well?” said the Angel, now with an angry glare.

Suzie recoiled from the Angel's voice. Then she stuck her finger to her chin in thought. Next, she looked like she had come to a startling realization. Finally, she mimed making a bold announcement to the Angel.

The Angel stuck her hands on her hips. “What? Are you serious?”

Suzie silently laughed and nodded her head. The babysitter who had been standing behind her was gone.

“I can't believe this!” said the Angel. The babysitter was now standing behind her. “What are people going to say?”

Suzie smirked and shrugged.

The babysitter rested her hand on the Angel's shoulder. The Angel looked down. Her flowing robes had been replaced with a diaper identical to Suzie's. “What! No!”

Suzie pointed and laughed.

A loud squelching sound played over the music. The Angel hung her head in shame.

The camera cut to Suzie clapping excitedly in a crib. Nearby, the Angel cried as the babysitter plopped her down on the changing table. The music rose as a motto scrawled across the screen.

Diapers: Coming soon to a bottom near you!

The camera panned out, and the strange black and white scene collapsed into a point. The camera continued to pan out until the the point was revealed to be a mote in the shiny black eye of a diapered blue teddy bear.

“Hi everyone! Are you having fun?” asked the bear in his high-pitched voice.

“Yeah!” said Tamika. More voices joined her, but her eyes were fixed to cuddly apparition on the screen.

“Yay!” said the bear, doing a joyful backflip. “I'm having lots of fun too! You know, I was excited when my Mommy told me I was gonna get out of diapers and get to wear big bear pants, but that wasn't any fun at all! Now, I got my dipees back, and they are just the best! Mommy says as long as I keep peeing in them, I get to keep them forever and ever! Isn't that great?”

A chorus of voices joined Tamika. “Yeah!”

“Don't I look so cute in my little diaper?” said the bear, waving his padded rear at the audience.

“Yeah!” said the crowd.

“Looking cute is so much fun! Everyone who sees you can't help but like you! They'll do anything you want, just to make you happy!”

Tamika nodded. The bear was so cute, it was impossible to disagree. Everyone had been finding her more and more adorable since she had gotten her rattle, and she had definitely enjoyed that.

“Being cute is so easy! All you have to do is pretend not to be able to do things for yourself, and everyone will fall all over themselves to help you. It's fun for you, and tolerable for them!”

Tamika giggled. Everyone around her released a collective sigh of adoration. “Awwww!”

“Bye for now! You know what has to happen next. Just relax and enjoy it.” said the bear as his cuddly blue form faded into the swirl of color. The screen went black.

Tamika looked around in a daze. In addition to Denise, over a dozen other young people had joined the party while she had been gazing at the screen. Everyone was watching her with a blissful, caring smile. From the way they stood on either side of the playpen, hardly any of them had been watching the screen at all. She was the center of their attention. Specifically, they were watching her crotch.

She looked down. Just as she expected, a large dark patch had appeared on the front of her pants. She had just pissed her pants in front of an audience of over a dozen strangers, most of whom were total strangers to her. Her cheeks blushed, but from the looks on their faces, she knew that there was no need for embarrassment. Instead, she felt strangely powerful, as though all the rules, frustrations, and limitations that had defined her existence had suddenly melted  away. She jumped up from her position between Denise and Rene, and addressed her crowd of adoring fans.

` “Hey, look everybody! I peed my pants!” she announced joyfully. Her daughter, her roommate, and all their friends began clapping and cheering in unison.

Eliza approached the playpen and reached out to grab her mother's hand. “You sure did, Mom! What a cutie you are! Come on, let's go get you cleaned up and into a fresh pair of pants.”

Tamika frowned. “Oh, honey, I don't think Mommy's ready to be in big girl pants. Since I have a wonderful, dutiful daughter to clean up after me, I think it would be best if I just go back to diapers.”

Tamika blushed so hard as she said these words she was worried that blood might shoot out of her pores, but a murmur of agreement passed through the room.

A worried look formed on Eliza's face. “That's a cute idea, Mom, and I'd be more than happy to put your big, adorable butt back in diapers, but I just don't think we have any.”

Tamika adopted a look of mock disappointment. Her head drooped. Her bottom lip quivered. Her heart raced. “We don't have any diapers?” she asked in a whiny, petulant voice.

The rattle shook in her hand, sending the tell-tale chimes vibrating through the air.

Eliza immediately brightened and stuck a finger to her lips. “Come to think of it, we  might have some. Let me check the diaper room.”

If Tamika hadn't already wet herself, that sentence might have done the trick. She followed Eliza as her daughter-turned-maid scampered down the hallway toward her own room. But when she opened the door, no resemblance was visible between her daughter's bedroom and what the rattle had just created.

Gone were the filthy carpets, barely visible under the layers of trash and laundry. Gone were the empty beer bottles, the posters of shirtless musicians of various kinds, the collection of bongs, and the constant haze of stink they produced. The room was lined with shelves, and divided down the center by another shelf, and every inch of shelf space was completely devoted to diapers. Diapers in every color, various sizes, and dozens of colorful decorations and designs. The room was neatly arranged and organized, with unopened boxes filling the top level of all the shelves. Tamika saw brands that she had never imagined existed. There was no way that Tamika could run out of diapers if she was changed every twenty minutes for the rest of her life.

Eliza slapped herself on the forehead. “Oh, right. These. You know, I think because I sleep in here, these just kinda melt into the background.”

Tamika looked around the diaper emporium, confused. “You...sleep in here?”

“Of course! I have the fold-out bed.” said Eliza. She pulled a cord that hung from the ceiling. A shelf of diapers dropped into the ground, revealing a bare wall panel. The panel fell forward, revealing a small, simple bed. Behind it was a closet full of clean, pressed maid uniforms.

Tamika mind reeled. She tried to imagine the bureaucratic loops she would have to jump through to get such a ridiculous contraption installed in her house. Then she tried to imagine what it must be like to only have this one tiny area to call your own.

“Uh...isn't this a little sparse, honey? Wouldn't you like a room of your own?”

Eliza giggled. “Oh, Mom! You can be so silly. I don't need a big fancy room. What would I do, stay in bed all day? I just need enough room for my bed and my clothes. The whole house is my personal playground, where I get cook and clean all day long! Oh, and I need to add keeping my Mommy's cute tushie clean to chores list! So, are you ready to pick out your diaper?”

Tamika relaxed. Her daughter was perfectly happy, ecstatic even. She looked up and down the piles of diapers. After perusing the various options, she selected an especially thick one decorated with little blue teddy bears. Chuckling to herself, she grabbed one one and ran it over to Eliza.

“Very good choice, Mom! Ooh, so nice and thick. This oughta keep you dry for a while. Come on! Let's get you out of those silly pants of yours.”

Tamika arched an eyebrow as Eliza headed back into the hallway. “Uh, can't you just change me in here?”

Eliza didn't pause. She headed back to the living room. “We have two changing tables for a reason, Mom! I can change you in your room if you'd like, but I'm sure all our guests would love to be present for the big moment.” Eliza emerged back into the living room. Denise and Rene watched from the playpen, and everyone else stood staring as Tamika and Eliza emerged. “C'mon, Mom! Your attention everyone! You're about to see my lovely mother assume her rightful place as a big, adorable diaper girl!”

Eliza pulled another cord, and a changing table rose from a concealed trap door in the living room floor. The crowd cheered them on as Eliza stripped her mother of her shoes, pants, and underwear.

“Raise your butt for me, Mommy!” said Eliza gleefully. Tamika's face burned, but the shame of it just made it better. She giggled as a shower of baby powder coated her exposed crotch, prompting yet more oohs and awws from the guests. With a crinkled and two loud snaps, Tamika was soon back in diapers.

“There you go, Mom! How does it feel to be in diapers again?” asked Eliza as she helped Tamika off the padded changing table.

Tamika felt her ample booty through the generous padding. “It feels amazing! Rene is gonna love it!”

Rene did a double-take from her position in the playpen. “Uh...wha?”

Tamika chuckled. “You heard me, sweetie. You're my plaything now, my toy, my little dolly! I can't have you in wearing big girl pants while I'm in baby diapers.” She patted the top of the changing table. “Come on, up you get! And be sure to tell all our guests why you're gonns be diapered from now on.”

Rene blushed and hung her head. “Uh...guys? Its true. I'm just gonna be a big baby from now on . My Mistress commands, and so I obey. I'm her baby doll, now and forever.”

The crowd were beside themselves with laughter as Rene sat on the changing table for the first of many changes.

Eliza giggled. “Well, what's one more stinky butt to clean up? At least your tush is a little smaller.”

Rene looked at Tamika. “S...stinky? Really, Mistress?” Tamika grinned and nodded.

The party continued. Soon, more guest were lining up to be made honorary diaper babies for the evening. Tamika put on the rattle's mesmerizing shows over and over, sealing her and her housemates to their respective fates. Tamika's favorite part of the evening was making a huge, poopy mess in her fresh diaper. Eliza wanted to change her right away, but she made a game of giving each and every one of her guests a big hug while her stinking mess wagged in the air behind her. Every guest was so enchanted by Tamika's magically-induced cuteness that all she got in exchange were squeals of delight. Rene learned to follow her Mistress's example, and soon the women were taking turns being wiped clean, oiled, powdered, and put into fresh pampers. Tamika fell asleep in the playpen surrounded by her new friends, all eager to cuddle with her. As she fell asleep, she decide that this was what she wanted the rest of her life to be.