Chapter Thirteen
“Run!” Katie yelled.
The Wildcats scattered as Natasha cackled, letting loose with the paint blaster, sending a spray of blue goop toward her friends.
The Wildcats got some of it on them as they fled, but they managed to put the community center between them and the rival team.
“Natasha’s in town! She’s their seventh player!” Eli said.
The team kept running.
Some were out of breath, but Dylan was doing just fine. It wasn’t lost on him that he was running away from a paint gun instead of toward a crazy maniac with a real gun. He liked this a lot better.
“Who’s Natasha?” he asked without breaking stride.
“An old friend who lives up north,” Eli answered. “She’s trouble. Almost as much trouble as me.”
“Come on,” Stryker said. “My house is close and we can get some weapons there. We’re not just going to take this.
“This is war!”
***
The Wildcats spilled into Stryker’s garage.
He quickly lowered the door.
“We’re safe for now,” he said.
The Littles panted as they caught their breath.
“We can’t let this stand,” Stella said. “We’ve got to strike back.”
“Absolutely,” Aurelia said. “But with what? It’s too cold for water guns.”
“What if we challenge them to a little pre-game battle?” Harrison said. “Like the new laser tag arena.”
“That’s it!” Eli said. “It’s something we can keep score on and have a clear winner.”
“This town even has a laser tag arena?” Dylan said.
“Just opened,” Harrison said. “I haven’t even been to it yet.”
“I’ll text Libby,” Katie said. “I’ll propose a truce until we get to the arena.”
“So, that means no more paint attacks?” Aurelia said.
“Exactly,” Katie said. “Let’s just hope they agree to it. And keep their end of the bargain.”
Everyone nodded.
With Natasha, you never knew.
***
Dylan burst into the rental house.
His new friends were waiting outside, and he would join them in a moment, after checking in with Teagan and letting her know where he was going.
Inside, he found Teagan was not alone. Auntie Candace and Aubrey were there from the daycare. There was another woman he’d seen yesterday—he thought she was Nancy, Eli’s wife and Mommy—along with three others he’d never met.
The women were seated in the living room, talking and sipping wine. They all looked up as Dylan entered.
For a moment, he froze in embarrassment. He had clothes on, sure, but that diaper beneath his sweatpants was still obvious.
Why was he nervous? he silently asked himself. He knew for a fact some of the women there were Mommies. It was safe to assume the others were, too.
“Hi, cutie,” Teagan said. She placed her glass of wine on the end table and stood from the couch. “What are you up to?”
Dylan tried not to appear as bashful as he felt as he looked from the other women to his wife. He forced a smile. “I was just going to let you know that we’re going to the laser tag place.”
“That sounds like a good time,” she said. “But before you go, let’s check that diaper, honey.”
Dylan froze.
Oh crap! She’s doing that right here, in front of everyone?
Thankfully, she tugged on his hand and pulled him into the nursery.
Whew.
The other women still knew what was happening, but at least they weren’t actually seeing it. That was some relief.
He stood still while Teagan pulled the back of his sweatpants—and his diaper—away from his skin and peered down. She patted his bottom.
“You have a clean booty, but I bet you anything you’re not dry,” she said.
She’d lose that bet.
“I am,” he said.
She confirmed that by putting her hand down the front of his sweats and grabbing the diaper between his legs.
“How?” she said. “Baby boy, you’ve been gone playing for hours.”
“I just haven’t had to go.”
That was a lie and he prayed she didn’t see through it. What he wasn’t telling her was that he’d used the public restrooms several times that morning, just tugging his diaper down to relieve his bladder. She had put him in diapers but that was different than actually changing one. Part of him wasn’t sure she’d see him as a real man anymore if they ever crossed that line.
“Baby boy, look at me. Are you lying?” She studied his eyes.
Oh crap! Is this what suspects feel when a police officer is questioning them? It’s intense!
“No,” he muttered.
He cast his eyes downward.
A moment later, she said, “We haven’t gone over the rules so now is a good time to. When I put my little boy in diapers, I expect him to use those diapers. Is that understood?”
“Yes, ma’am,” he said meekly.
“Obey the rules or that cute little tushy of yours will be a sore little tushy. Is that clear?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“And don’t ever lie to Mommy.”
“I won’t,” he said.
Though that was a lie, ironically.
She kissed him and then said, “Go have fun playing laser tag, baby boy.”
She spun him around, playfully swatted his butt, and watched as he left the nursery.
He waved to the women on his way through the living room and then breathed a sigh of relief once he closed the front door. Standing on the porch, with the brisk autumn air swirling around him, he took a moment to gather himself.
That had been close! What would he do about the edict? Mommy had said he needed to use his diaper. He couldn’t hold out forever.
He’d have to cross that bridge when he came to it, he decided. Right now, he needed to go have fun with the friends who were waiting on him just a few feet away.
They had a laser tag match to win.