August Exclusive - Mr Fluffles - Part 4 (Patreon)

There’s no instant getaway. Ashley makes promises – I’m going to get you out of here, it’s going to be okay – and then takes Robert back to the baby room and leaves him with another daycare worker. And then Robert suffers through a morning of activities – a sensory table with its sand, birdseed, popcorn kernels, and other things he has no interest in exploring with his chubby little fingers – and then the music and movement session, where he is jiggled around enthusiastically to Clap, Clap, Clap Your Hands, If You’re Happy And You Know It, and finally The Baby Hokey Pokey. The movement is more than enough for Robert’s bowels to follow along, and he is left dazed and with a dirty diaper.

Still, at least there is no sign of Mr. Fluffles.  Robert remembers now having seen some of the other babies and children leave with the yellow bear.

That’s the secret weapon? Seriously?

Ms. Donna said she had something special for cranky babies. It’s the bear. It makes them feel…well, she said it turns their brains to pudding, and then she laughed and said, ‘And what baby doesn’t like pudding?’.

And so, the bear is a device of some kind. Hypnosis? Drugs? Something that Anne has bought into, as well as the usual trappings of a daycare. Trappings, indeed.

Robert has already made up his mind, if there’s any sign of Mr. Fluffles, to start crawling in the other direction.

But the yellow teddy bear doesn’t make an appearance, and eventually Ashley reappears, making a beeline straight for him.

“Let’s see if you need a change, Bobby,” she says brightly, “And then you can have your ba-ba!”

It’s good to see Ashley again, but there’s something freshly embarrassing about being cleaned and changed, now that Ashley knows he has his adult mind. He closes his eyes and lets it happen, choosing to think of cars, money, and revenge, while his groin and buttocks are cleaned. It’s a mental balancing act, and Robert knows that the idea of actual escape feels slim.

But once he is sitting in Ashley’s lap, a warm bottle between his hands, he has cause for feeling more hopeful.

“What’s the plan?” he asks in the softest of murmurs, realizing in the moment that he is entrusting the young woman with his very future.

“It’s all worked out,” replies Ashley. She lifts the bottle to Robert’s lips. “Get drinking, I’ll tell you all about it.”

Robert does as he’s told, more than used to drinking formula, and he almost laughs as Ashley tells her the plan in a sing-song voice, as if she’s telling a bedtime story to a toddler.

“I made up a phone call from Anne, and then told Ms. Donna that Mommy wants you home early, family emergency and all that. She was all set to send you home with someone else, but I told her I could do it.”

Robert continues to drink. He remembers the first time Anne had given him a bottle; his first waking moments as a baby, in his girlfriend’s arms, and before he even had a chance to understand his new form, he had found the drink bitter and metallic.

Still, probably near the bottom of his complaints about the last few days.

“So, after your bottle, I’ll put you in a stroller and take you home!”

Robert pulls the nipple from his mouth. “Stroller?” he whispers. “We need a car.”

Ashley makes a hushing sound, and then says in Robert’s ear, “Don’t talk, the others are too close. I don’t have a child seat in my car, but first step is to get you away from the daycare and away from that teddy bear.” And then her voice changes back to her sing-song tone. “That’s right, I’m going to take you home to your mommy! And then she’ll give you a big kiss and cuddle, won’t she? And then a lovely bubble bath, and then you can play with your toys, and you can have your num-nums!”

Ashley continues to talk that way, making up all manner of infantile nonsense, while Robert works on finishing the bottle of formula. How about, when they get to Ashley’s house, he gets something else to drink? Anything would be better than this. And how about getting out of these baby pajamas?

And how about getting just a fraction of his hold life back?

The idea feels like the best of dreams, which suits Robert, feeling sleepy after the bottle.

Ashley takes the bottle from his hands, and Robert realizes that he has indeed finished it. He feels too calm and sated to be embarrassed at the dribbles of milk on his chin, and he doesn’t even blush when Ashley turns him around and holds him against her shoulder, stroking and patting his back until he produces several high-pitched burps.

“There you go! Good boy! What a good boy!”

Robert smiles at the praise, and then squirms in Ashley’s arms. This is all taking too long. “We gotta go, Ashley. Please, I wanna go.”

Ashley makes her hushing sound again and whispers, “I have to be extra sweet to you, so they don’t suspect, okay.” She strokes his fuzzy hair and kisses his cheeks before saying, “Of course, it’s not hard to be sweet to you, Bobby, you’re cute as a button.”

Robert smiles again, and then he frowns. “Ashley, I’m feeling kinda funny. “

Ashley gives him a pouting look that seems both patronizing and seductive at the same time. “Poor Bobby!” She smiles. “There is something a little funny about daycares,” says Ashley, cuddling Robert, and rocking him gently. “Even for the staff! All day long, holding babies, feeding them, changing them, putting them down for naps. And there’s the tummy time, and the songs, and the stories. Kinda makes my brain go a little mushy after a while.” She giggles. “I do like cuddling babies, though, especially ones as sweet as you.” She beams at Robert. “No wonder Mommy loves you so much.”

Robert sighs, relaxing into Ashley’s arms. It’s getting hard to keep his eyes open, with all the stroking and cuddling, his stomach full of milk, and of course the way Ashley’s talking to him, like the gentlest and sweetest of bedtime stories.

And he yawns, and his fingers curl up against his fuzzy pajamas. It’s nice to hold something soft. His eyes start drooping.

“Hey, Bobby,” Ashley whispers. “You wanna stay here with me, just for a little bit? You wanna take a little nap.” She strokes the sides of his face with the gentlest of fingers. “You look so sleepy, baby.”

Robert is sleepy. He could easily fall asleep right here. And would that be so unusual these days. Babies are supposed to take naps, babies are sweet and sleepy and-

When his eyes close, Robert sees the yellow teddy bear.

Ms. Donna said she had something special for cranky babies. Called it her secret weapon.

He swallows, his nose wrinkling at the metallic taste that stays on his tongue. And he imagines the delight on Anne’s face, coming to pick him up from daycare, Robert babbling and drooling like an idiot, the damned teddy bear in his hands.

Don’t worry, the daycare manager had told Anne. And that calm, confident smile as she muffled Robert’s ears. Secret weapon.

Robert’s eyes spring open. “No.” his stiffens his arms and legs, pushes against Ashley. He stares into her blue eyes. “No. We gotta go. I don’t wanna bear.”

For a moment, he is sure that Ashley will simply hold him more tightly. That she will tell him more nonsensical stories.

Instead, she sighs and says, “You’re right, we’d better get moving.” She glances around the baby room. “Do you think all these other babies were once grown-ups?” She frowns. “There were a lot of teddy bears in that cupboard.”

Robert flinches at the mere idea. A mountain of teddy bears, an overflowing river of yellow fuzziness, ready to rush over him, overwhelm his senses and intelligence. He feels like bursting into the messiest of tears.

“Time to go bye-byes,” Ashley says brightly, bringing Robert back to reality. She carries him into the hallway and Robert watches as the woman expertly unfolds the stroller and then places him in the seat. It’s rear-facing, so Robert can look up at Ashley as she fastens the buckles.

“Soon have you home with Mommy!” says Ashley, and her voice seems extra sweet now, as if she’s talking to the youngest of children, and Robert almost takes offense, but of course, it’s how she should sound, at least until they get out of the building.

Ashley stops at reception and signs the resister.

“Going home early?” Robert hears a woman ask. He twists around in his seat and recognizes Ms. Donna. And he wonders for moment, why did he ask Ashley for help, and not this older, redhaired woman instead?

Call it instinct, Robert decides. Because there’s something about Ms. Donna, something that makes Robert nervous. And there’s something about Ashley that makes him feel better. She is a new arrival at Mr. Fluffles Daycare, just like Robert. And a little unsure of herself initially, just like Robert. And yet, despite her youth, Ashley has convinced the daycare to let her take Robert away.

Robert smiles as the two women talk. Why shouldn’tthey trust Ashley? He certainly does. Ashley takes a soft blue blanket and tucks it around his legs. “There’s your blankie.”

Robert looks up at her fondly. She’s so kind, and so smart. She knows just what to do!

Robert nods, feeling himself relax in the stroller.

“See you soon, Bobby!” the manager says.

Robert is willing to give Ms. Donna a smile. See you…never. How does that sound? And then he waves his hands enthusiastically.

Ashley pushes the stroller to the door, and it’s only when she’s reached around to push it open, that the redhead calls out.

“Hey!”

Ashley freezes, and Robert’s heart thuds in his tiny chest.

“Haven’t you forgotten something?”

Robert imagines the look on the manager’s face. Accusing. A raised eyebrow. Because Anne will have called, and the lie will have been revealed. And both Robert and Ashley will be taken to the nurse’s office.

But when he looks over, Ms. Donna doesn’t look angry, just amused. And she’s holding up a diaper bag. Robert immediately recognizes it as the one Anne brings with them to daycare every day.

“Oops!” Ashley exclaims. She doesn’t sound guilty or panicked. Not even close. “Silly me!”

She turns the stroller around and goes back to reception. “Thanks!”

“No sweat,” says Ms. Donna, smiling as Ashley clips the diaper bag onto the stroller bar. “You got everything you need.”

Ashley thanks the woman again, winks at Robert, and then pushes the stroller outside.