Chapter 9
After Amanda let go of me, I looked at her, then looked at Kat.
Normally I'm a calm and collected person, but the news of somebody I didn't even know looking after me...feeding me, bathing me and...I internally shuddered, changing me...made me very nervous.
Kat, however, saw my nervousness, and took my face in her hands, gently caressing both sides with each hand.
"It's okay, darlin', Mandy's really good with kids. You'll be fine and, hey, if you need any help, I'll be just down the hall."
That made me feel a little bit better so I began to relax.
Unfortunately I began to relax a little too much...
Amanda sniffed and, realizing what I'd done, smiled warmly at me, without a trace of judgment.
"Okay, well, it looks like we got a poopy butt that needs changing. Come here, Mister, and let's get you cleaned up."
Amanda took me to the living room and laid a changing mat on the floor.
I laid down on it, grimacing internally as the poop mushed around my butt.
"It's okay, sweetheart...it's okay, Grandma's gonna make everything all better...just you wait and see."
Kat walked up to us as Amanda was pulling off my pants.
"I'm gonna go check on Kimmy, okay?" Kat said, casually.
"No problem, honey." Amanda said, now onto the phase of untaping my dirty diaper.
Amanda opened it up and, like her granddaughter, never flinched, never recoiled in shock, didn't react negatively one bit. She was actually pleased to see the contents.
"Wow, somebody's a big pooper, aren't they? Looks like you are being very very well fed here."
I smiled and, since I was still kind of shy about acknowledging her, I simply nodded.
Amanda began wiping my bottom with the clean end of the dirty diaper, all the while keeping ahold of my legs.
She then took some baby wipes from the diaper bag and began wiping the rest of the poop from my bottom.
With the process done, she placed the used wipes into the dirty diaper and, lifting my bottom up a little more, set the diaper aside and grabbed the baby powder.
She began powdering my bottom liberally, rubbing it in very deep, then set the canister aside and grabbed a new diaper, all the while still holding up my legs.
This woman must be some kind of super diaper changing wizard or something. I was floored that she managed to keep ahold of my legs with one hand while doing all of this with her other one.
She must've seen the look on my face because she smiled and said, "Once you've been changing diapers for as long as I have, sweetheart, you get to be very very good at it."
All with one hand free, she grabbed the new diaper, unfolder it, stretched the sides and placed it under my bottom.
Lowering it onto the new diaper, Amanda brought it up through my legs and taped it closed.
She then sprinkled baby powder onto my chest and rubbed it in.
I inhaled and smiled warmly at the smell.
Amanda helped me up and rolled up the used diaper, taping it closed, then took my hand as we went to the kitchen.
Inside the kitchen, Amanda had disposed of the dirty diaper in the garbage can, then, after washing her hands and mine, looked at me.
"Did you wanna watch some TV, honey?" Amanda asked, curiously.
I was kind of in the mood for that, but I was still a little uncomfortable around her, so I simply nodded.
Amanda smiled at me, again a motherly smile, almost like the one I'd seen Kimberly do while she was changing Rufus.
"Okay. Let's go into the living room and watch some TV."
The two of us walked into the living room and sat down. I'd turned on the TV and I heard a familiar voice.
"Dad wants us to pick up where he left off, saving people, hunting things... The family business."
I thought, "Yes! 'Supernatural'! I LOVE this show!"
But I guess Amanda had seen it before or just recognized the beginning because she took the remote from my hand.
"Now, now, honey, that program's much too violent for you..."
She changed the channel and I heard the following song...
Who lives in a pineapple under the sea
Sponge-bob square-pants!
Absorbant and yellow and porous is he
Sponge-bob Square-pants!
That's when I realized that this evening just might take a turn for the worse. Kimberly treated me like a baby, but she at least let me be myself and do whatever I normally would. Amanda was determined to treat me like a baby in every capacity.
I sat there and sighed, watching "Spongebob Squarepants".
"Now you just sit there and watch 'Spongebob', sweetie. Grandma's gonna go check on your sister."
She stood up and began walking to Kimberly's nursery...and that's when I realized that she viewed me not as a charge to be babysat, not as Kimberly's boyfriend...but as her own grandson.
I couldn't help but feel a litlte touched that she'd given me such a honorable title in the short time we've known each other.
Amanda walked into Kimberly's nursery, only to find Kimberly kicking and squirming around on the changing table as Kat tried to hold her down.
Amanda smiled as she walked up to the changing table, surveying the scene.
"And what seems to be the problem here, Katherine?" Amanda said, smiling, since she obviously knew the answer.
"Isn't it obvious?" Kat chuckled sarcastically, somewhat annoyed by Kimberly's behavior. "I'm tryin' to get her changed and she won't even let me take the diaper off."
"Oh, I'm sorry, Katherine. I should've told you." Amanda chuckled softly. "Kimberly used to hate it when her mom or I changed her diapers. She never let us get close enough to do it."
"So what am I supposed to do about it?" Kat signed in distress. "I can't just leave her like this."
"Let me try. I always had a way with her." Amanda said, gently.
Kat moved out of the way and Amanda walked up to her granddaughter.
"Hey, pumpkin...you don't like bein' in that messy diaper, do you?"
It was almost as if Kimberly had mentally regressed at the sight of seeing her grandmother because her personality totally changed.
She shook her head childishly, "Uh-uh." Kimberly said, putting her thumb in her mouth. "Kimmy 'tinky."
"Well, don't worry 'cause Grandma's here and she's gonna make you feel all better. Would you like that?"
Kimberly smiled around her thumb and nodded.
As Kimberly began sucking her thumb, Amanda began changing her granddaughter's diaper, but not before she began to sing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QNKED9QZyI
With the diaper change finished, Amanda looked at Kat and smiled.
"If you need any help, Katherine, you just let me know, okay?"
Kat was astonished at what had just happened and simply nodded her head.
Amanda kissed her granddaughter on the forehead and then left the nursery, going to the bathroom to wash her hands.
When she came back a short time later, I was still sitting on the couch watching "Spongebob", but I can't tell you how much I wanted to switch back to "Supernatural"...though, not wanting to test her, I left the channel on the one she chose.
"And how's my wonderful grandson doing?"
I looked up at her and smiled, still not really ready to say anything to her.
She sat down next to me.
"I can understand how you feel, baby. It can't be easy to be left alone with somebody new. It's partly my fault, though. I should've suggested to Kimberly that she invite me over for a little while before all that happened...this way we could've gotten to know each other."
I realized she had a great point, but I didn't speak, I just listened.
"I just want you to know, cutie, that, if you give me a chance, I'll make this a time in your life you'll never forget."
I looked at her and smiled sincerely and finally worked up the courage to say something to her...
"Thank you."
It was then that our heartfelt moment was disrupted when we heard a scream from Rufus' nursery.
Fearing for the life of her daughter, Amanda, followed by myself, ran to the nursery.
Only to find that Stephanie was having the same problem with Rufus that Kat was having with Kimberly.
"Hold still, Rufus!" Stephanie yelled, rather annoyed.
Amanda walked up to Stephanie, forcing her to look her in the eyes, while still keeping an eye on Rufus, "Now you listen to me, Stephanie...Rufus doesn't know what he's doin' so you're gonna have to be a lot more gentle with him, you understand?"
"But he--" Stephanie started to object, but Amanda would have none of it.
"I don't care what he did. The point is the little man doesn't have any control over his actions...not yet. So you gotta be easier on him."
"I understand." Stephanie said, resigned.
She walked up to Rufus and looked at him.
"Hi, sweetie." Stephanie said, calmly. "I know you got a stinky diapie, but don't worry, your babysitter Steffie's gonna change you lickety-split."
Amanda sensed that Stephanie was handling this so she tried to usher me out.
"C'mon, sweetheart, let's go and let them get re-acquainted."
Part of me wanted to go, but another part of me wanted to watch Stephanie change Rufus. I don't know what it was, but, if the girl was attractive and caring for a baby in any way, even if it was changing a diaper, I feel drawn to the situation...from the looks of things, it didn't seem to matter how old the girl caring for the child was. It was the actions of her that spoke to me.
Amanda smiled at me, warmly, and looked into my eyes.
"If you wanna watch, it's okay with me, sweet-pea, but we're not gonna make it a habit, okay?"
I nodded as Amanda stepped aside and let me watch the scene unfold.
"First I'm gonna get that stinky diaper off you...shh, shh, shh...it's okay." Stephanie calmly said to Rufus as he began fussing as she went for the tapes.
Stephanie untaped one tab on the diaper and, again, I shivered.
Amanada noticed it, but didn't say anything.
Stephanie then untaped the second tab on the diaper and, just like the times before, I shivered again.
Amanda noticed that as well, but, again, didn't say a word.
"Okay, baby boy, let's see what you got inside for your babysitter, huh?" Stephanie said, cooing to Rufus.
She opened it up and made a big show of it.
"Oooh...yucky! Stinky yucky poo-poo, Rufus!!! Somebody's a stinky stinky boy!!!" Stephanie said, cooing to him, then giggling as she tickled his tummy, causing him to squeal with laughter.
"Let's get this yucky nasty diapie outta here, what'd'ya say?" Stephanie giggled and smiled and Rufus nodded.
"Good boy. Now just hold still..." Stephanie said, calmly.
She took the clean end of the dirty diaper and wiped Rufus' bottom with it, getting most of the excess poop off of his behind.
She then set it behind her and, without looking, felt around for the wipes container, popped it open, grabbed four wipes and began to finish the job she started wiping Rufus' bottom...all the while not once taking her eyes off of him.
No offense intended to Kimberly, but it seemed her aunt was a better babysitter than she was.
Stephanie (again, without taking her eyes off of Rufus) reached behind herself and placed the used wipes into the dirty diaper.
Grabbing the canister of baby powder, she began to powder Rufus' behind. Rufus giggled and squirmed in response to the feeling.
Stephanie powdered Rufus' tummy and rubbed it in along with rubbing in the powder on his bottom as well.
Taking a new diaper from the changing table and unfolding it and stretching the sides, Stephanie took Rufus' legs in her hand and elevated his bottom up from the changing table, slipping the new diaper underneath his bottom.
Lowering his legs onto the new diaper, Stephanie then brought it up through Rufus' legs and taped it closed.
She then blew on his tummy, causing a giggle fit on Rufus' end.
Stephanie continued tickling him and blowing on his tummy until Rufus could take no more and began to fuss.
Stephanie picked him up and cooed to him, "Aww...it looks like somebody's gettin' fussy...I think it's time for a nap. What do you think, Rufus?"
Rufus continued to whine and fuss as Stephanie placed him in the crib, pulling a blanket up to his neck and placing a stuffed bunny in his arms.
With that feeling, Rufus quickly calmed down.
She leaned into the crib and kissed Rufus on the forehead.
"Sleep tight, little guy." Stephanie whispered softly into his ear.
She turned around and gently indicated we should leave.
Amanda, Stephanie and I walked out of the nursery as Stephanie dimmed the lights and closed the door, leaving it open only a crack.
The three of us went out into the living room and sat down on the couch, with Amanda on the far left, Stephanie on the far right and, due to what I would realize would eventually have been a bad mistake on my part, myself in the middle.
Amanda picked up the remote and turned off the TV and looked at me.
"Okay, little man...naptime."
I don't know what it was, but I was feeling very energetic and not wanting to take a nap right now so I fought it.
"Nooo...I don't wanna..." I whined.
Man, did that sound unattractive. I can see why my mom hated it when I used to do it to her.
"Now, now, you need a nap, so don't fight me on this...c'mon, let's go..."
"Can I put him down, Mom?" Stephanie asked, eagerly.
Amanda smiled, "Sure you can, sweetie. Do you need to be changed before we do that, though?"
Did she just say what I thought she said?
Despite Stephanie's earlier maturity with Rufus, she rolled her eyes at her mother.
"No, Mom. I'm fine."
Stephanie then picked me up, with what seemed like no problem at all, and took me down to Kimberly's nursery.
It turned out that she had a key as well...apparently everyone had a key except for me.
Kat opened the door and Stephanie (holding me) and Amanda both walked in.
"Hey, Kat." Stephanie said in an exhausted tone, maybe from carrying the extra weight of me. "This little man's gonna go down for a nap. Can I put him in the crib?"
"Well, sure, darlin'!" Kat said, happily. "I just put Kimmy down a few minutes ago, but the poor thing can't get to sleep yet."
Stephanie brought me over to the crib and laid me next to Kimberly.
When the two of us locked eyes, we instantly became happy to see each other.
We hugged and refused to let go, both of us eventually falling asleep.
Kat placed a finger to her lips and softly said, "Shh...y'all better get goin' now."
Amanda and Stephanie both left the nursery as Kat stayed behind to keep an eye on us.
Reaching the lviing room, Amanda stopped her daughter and turned her to face her.
"I just wanted to say, honey, that it was such a treat having you here with me. Watching you with Rufus makes me realize that you've truly grown up into a mature, responsible woman." Amanda said, earnestly.
Stephanie smiled, "Thank you, Mommy...I love you." She said, caringly.
"I love you too, sweetie...can Mommy have a hug?" Amanda said, smiling.
Stephanie blushed a little. "Aw...sure."
The two hugged tightly, but Stephanie was thrown for a loop when Amanda scooped up her daughter and laid her on the floor as Stephanie began crying.
Talking over her daughter's protests, Amanda stated, "You've been falling for that trick ever since you were three, Steffy. I knew you needed a diaper change and you wouldn't want to tell me, so I had no choice."
Stephanie continued to cry and, Amanda, ever the prepared one, placed a pacifier in her daughter's mouth.
"Now just relax and Mommy'll change that wet diaper."