Riley

13

The second and final week of Riley's punishment began with the dreaded doctor's visit.

She rarely doctor's visits, the last few times were not stay visits but mandatory vaccinations that destroyed her every time. In fact, she would fall asleep in the car forcing her parents to lay her down on the couch when they returned. She would sleep until dinnertime.

The most nervous was her father Greg; Dr. Heinz's waiting room brought back bad memories of which he hoped he had removed from his memory. The fact that he was not the patient in question calmed him, but not so much since the patient was his little daughter.

Riley was slightly uncomfortable, it was the second time she had gone out in public in a diaper -which her mother forced her to wear - and, for the first time, a person other than her parents would see and look inside of it. Distracting herself was impossible, and squeezing her mother's hand gave her confidence.

"Riley Bishop!" called a nurse with an angelic voice.

The family got up and followed her. None of the three adults opened their mouths for that short walk down the endless hallway. (Riley thought she had been catapulted into a horror movie.)

"Mom?" whispered Riley.

"Yes?"

"Is the doctor going to give me a shot?"

Helen stifled a laugh and lowered her voice so as not to attract the attention of Greg and the nurse. "I didn't think you were still afraid of shots."

Riley looked down at her feet in annoyance. What a stupid thought! A little kid would ask her such a question! Now I'm a big kid!

"I didn't mean that... ehm... the other thing," Riley said uncertainly.

Helen looked around, then at her daughter for a moment. She sensed something was wrong. She asked the nurse, "Where is the bathroom?"

The young woman stopped short. "It is to your left, Mrs. Bishop."

Riley and Helen turned their gazes in that direction. Quite a coincidence, thought the woman.

"Riley and I will be right back," Helen spoke excitedly, and they rushed in.

The nurse looked at Greg. "Dr. Heinz will think he has no more patients for today, I'll go and let him know you are here."

"Thank you and I apologize for my wife's behavior," apologized Greg mortified.

The nurse shrugged. "Children are like that, better to empty out before seeing the doctor. You think many have wet their pants seeing the doctor!"

Greg chuckled unconvinced; he could have done without that information.

*

In the bathroom, the air grew even more heavy. The rose-flavored scent of clean made her sneeze as soon as they crossed the threshold.

Riley sensed that her mother wanted to take a look at her there, so she stood in front of her and lowered her pants. She prepared a justification in case she found it wet - she thought it wasn't - , the usual "Sorry Mommy, I didn't notice!" excuse followed by reprimands and a clean diaper.

Helen checked it for her and, surprised, reported that it was dry and still in perfect condition.

"Just in case, try to make it to the toilet," he ordered her immediately afterwards unfastening it.

The 11-year-old obeyed and waited; she could have told her mother she didn't have to go, however, the terror of doing it in front of Dr. Heinz convinced her to keep her lips tight.