Jarringly awoken from her strange dream, Jessica became aware of her surroundings. She realized that the crying she was hearing was Amanda via the baby monitor. As she got up to go to the nursery she realized she was sucking her thumb in her sleep. She removed her thumb from her mouth and wiped it on her shorts. “What a strange dream!” she thought to herself.
Upon entering the nursery, she lowered the crib railing and picked Amanda up to realize that she was in need of a diaper change.
“How ironic,” thought Jessica. She carried Amanda over to the changing table and lay her down. She was extremely self-conscious as a result of the weird dream she just had. She changed Amanda’s diaper, trying not to think about what she had just seen. She looked at the clock. It was now eight-thirty. The Roberts would be home in an hour and a half. She decided it was about time the two of them had some dinner. She carried Amanda into the kitchen where she placed her in her high-chair while she fixed her a bottle of formula. She microwaved it for a minute or so, then tested on her wrist to make sure that it wasn’t too hot. Picking Amanda back up, she carried her over to the couch where she fed her the bottle. After finishing the bottle, Jessica put Amanda in her playpen in the living room so that she could fix herself something to eat.
After making herself a sandwich and having a glass of milk, Jessica returned to the living room to find Amanda playing with some blocks in her playpen. Jessica picked her up and then carried her over to the couch where she held her and turned on the television. The two of them sat like that until about 9:30 when Amanda fell asleep. Jessica carried Amanda back up to her crib and tucked her into it. She was about to head downstairs when the package of diapers caught her eye. “I doubt the Roberts will notice if I take one or two.” Jessica thought to herself as she took two of Amanda’s diapers out of the package and brought them downstairs where she stashed them into her purse. Just as she was zipping her purse, the Roberts walked in the door.
“Well, hello.” Jessica said half-nervously, wondering if Mrs Roberts had caught a glimpse of the diapers in her purse as she zipped it.
“Hi Jess,” Mrs Roberts replied cheerfully, “I hope we didn’t startle you. How was your evening?”
“Oh, no! It was just fine. I put Amanda back in her crib about half an hour ago. She was an angel as usual.”
“Oh that’s good to hear. Here’s the money for this evening. Thanks so much once again for your help.”
“Oh it was my pleasure.” Jessica said as she grabbed her purse, took the money from Mrs Roberts and headed out the door.
Having checked in on her sleeping Amanda, Mrs Roberts glanced at the package of diapers and a smile of growing comprehension appeared on her face.
“John, honey,” she said to her husband in the other room.
“Yes, dear?”
“It looks like Amanda’s almost out of diapers, would you mind picking up some the next time you go to the store?”
