✅ My Cousin's Keeper [NaNoWriMo 2021]

126. My Crisis

I was singing all day at work the next day. I couldn't say I really understood what had happened; I'd spent a whole evening treating my dominant fiancée like a baby, watching kids' TV and changing her diapers, while my little covered for me and did the chores where necessary to make sure that I could always give Ffrances my full attention. It had been wonderful, in ways I had never anticipated. From the joy with which she attacked exotic finger food to her delighted hugs as we got ready for bed, Ffrances had been a joy the whole evening. And afterwards, when she was back to her natural personality, Ffrances had thanked me very energetically; only needing a single twitch as a reminder to be careful with one of my arms.

It was great to know just how well we fitted together, and it made me even more certain that I'd done the right thing when I decided to marry her. About the only thing I felt bad about was how much work I had put on Tess's shoulders, and how she had been forced to take on the adult role by my carelessness. She had enough trouble accepting that she was a child without me putting more pressure on her; and I promised myself that she would be a baby tonight, so that I could make it up to her. She would probably say that she couldn't do that, but I was sure I could find some justification that she couldn't say no to.

I did actually catch myself humming quietly while deep in thought a few times. And it wasn't easy to force my mind back onto my work, because every time I took a break, I glanced at my phone and was reminded that there was a new chapter of Mommy's Little Devil waiting for me; and responses to my tentative attempts to get invited to TheAuthorsLittleSister's real world meetup as well. I just had to show some self-control, and put all of those things off until break times.

It was a good day, though. Nothing could bring me down, and perhaps that confidence helped me more than I realised. By the time I was driving home, I already knew how to put Tess into her littlespace without Ffrances calling me manipulative; so it would look like it was all the little's own choice. The only problem with the plan was that I might need some help to move Tess's stuff back from the spare room to her own bedroom; I couldn't have her pretending to be a big girl when I was trying to regress her, and even as the number of times she was waking up wet increased she had shown no inclination to move back into an age-appropriate room. I had to work out the fine details in my plan, but I was sure that once I got started everything would start to come naturally.

Tess wasn't actually at home when I breezed into the kitchen ready to greet her. I double checked, looking in the lounge, the nursery, and even the spare room. Of course, there was a good change she was still on the way back, if she'd decided to get off the bus before the last stop and walk through the park. I was home early enough that even traffic delays could have made her later than this, but I still automatically started to worry. Like any parent would. And maybe it bothered me a little more than usual, because I needed to get her in littlespace before Ffrances got home if my carefully-thought-out plan was going to work.

I got my phone out and sent her an XV message. After a little thought, I flagged it with ten minute expiration to make sure that it disappeared once she had read it. It was just a simple line asking if she was okay and when she expected to be home, as well as the instruction to have an accident like a little baby as soon as she saw me today. That would put her straight into littlespace, and then I would be able to comfort her, and remind her that these issues were likely to be because of how hard she had been forcing herself to act like an adult last night. I would tell her that her inner child was trying to let her know what she needed, and that a few hours in littlespace was the only real solution.

I knew the plan would need to be changed when I got her reply. She said that she was at Pine Ridge, in the hospital. She would be there for a few days. She was dealing with it herself, and insisted that anything I did to make her life easier would just get in the way.

Of course I was packing a bag right away. I had no idea what could possibly have happened that she would be in there overnight, but I knew that this was exactly the situation where she needed someone to watch over her. I would have to take stuff for myself as well; I was sure they would allow a parent to stay if she was in any serious condition. I replied to Tess letting her know that I was on my way, and that she could just step aside from those adult thoughts and relax while I sorted out everything with her school. Then I stopped to think; should I call the school before rushing out to see what had happened to my baby? I didn't know if they would still be open after I got to Pine Ridge, but until I spoke to the doctors I wouldn't know what the actual problem was.

This was the kind of dilemma I hated, where there was no right option. Why couldn't Tess have told me all the details? This was exactly the problem with her trying to act more grown up, and reinforced my determination to break that habit as soon as possible.

I took a deep breath, and picked up the bags of stuff, checking one or two more times to see if she had replied to my message, and then sending her another. The third time I checked, I added the reminder to make sure she wet the bed tonight; I needed to make sure she started to associate her attempts to be adult with her accidents, and I was sure that she would be grateful for my insight if I had to point out the connection to her.

Eventually, when I would normally have been making dinner, I opened the door with a bag of overnight supplies in my hand. Just in time to see Ffrances pulling up in her fancy car. For a moment my mind twitched onto a different train of thought; I should ask her to drive for our lunch date on Friday. And, in fact, I should remind her to make sure that she had the day booked off work. It was tough knowing that I had two big things to sort out; but unless whatever had happened to Tess was extremely serious, I wasn't going to let it interrupt my plans for the perfect proposal. We were going to be a real family, and I knew that was important for all of us.

"Ffrances!" I called out. "I was just... Have you heard from Tess? She's at Pine Ridge, and–"

"Shush," Ffrances answered, and tapped my nose as soon as she was close enough, shutting down my anxious babble in an instant. "I've spoken to her already. I've cleared things with the school, and the ward staff. She knows what she's doing, she has done all the paperwork herself and asked me to sign it, and she has everything she needs."

"If she's staying there she'll need a change of clothes, and–"

"Everything. Is. Sorted. And I'm pretty sure she sent you a message specifically saying that she didn't want you to be panicking when she is perfectly capable of dealing with everything herself."

She paused, possibly thinking about how much she could tell me. I knew she wanted to share with me, but if it was a hospital thing then all the rules about patient confidentiality would still apply. That was always the kind of thing to eat her up.

"What's wrong with her?" I asked. "Was there an accident, or..." I couldn't finish the sentence. Every option in my mind was terrible.

"Tess is going to be okay. Spike is in a worse state. Apparently his abusive stepfather heard some inaccurate rumours about their relationship, and responded with the same lack of tact he always does. I heard about the man from Tess's parents when she first came here, and that's why we have been doing everything in my power to make sure he doesn't hear Tess's name again. Most of the other parents at their school know enough to avoid the guy, but apparently somebody saw fit to put two kids in danger."

"I..." I started, but I didn't have anything to say. Could this somehow have been my fault? Had I gotten my baby hurt, just by trying to protect her?

"Thankfully Tess was more mature, seeking medical attention immediately. She even had the presence of mind to call me so that I could sign the admission papers for both of them, and making sure that all the nurses and orderlies on the ward know not to let Mr Torrance in. She did everything right."

"I'm proud of her," I said, "but she needs– aah!" I dropped the bag and recoiled as Ffrances jabbed me in the sore shoulder, hard.

"Have you met Duke Torrance?" she asked. "Because that guy is incapable of keeping his hands to himself, and you don't get that kind of sprain just from falling down. Is there something you need to tell me now?"