For another hour Peter sat in shame, dreading what tomorrow would bring. Another day in a dress for sure, he figured. But that’s preferable to this, he told himself as he looked down at his frilly white nightie, so short it left his pale thin legs entirely exposed. The triple elastic of nappy, rubbers and over knickers bit into him. He promised himself that once he was in bed, he’d take it and the nightie off and sleep naked. He kept glancing at the clock as the minute hand swept ever so slowly towards half past nine. Normally he’d argue to stay up much later, but under the circumstances, he couldn’t go soon enough..
At twenty-five past, he asks one last time and his grandmother says yes, insisting he finish his glass of milk first. He does and finally he’s climbing the stairs and slipping under his duvet. He is thankful that his humiliating garments are now out of sight, but they’re certainly not out of mind. He decided to wait a while before slyly removing his nightie and nappy, to make sure his grandmother had returned downstairs.
As sods law would have it, a couple of minutes later his granny appears. She sits on the edge of his bed and shows him a short video on her phone of him walking down the garden path. Then she shows him another of him swinging on the swing, and third video of him skipping with the girls next door. “You might not agree but you really do look very sweet.” she says before showing him the two photos of him in his nightie.
Peter gulped and sniffed. “Why are you showing me those?” he sulked
“So you can see how nice you look.” she replied with a smile. “…and to warn you that if you remove your nightie or nappy without my permission, we’ll make sure that everyone you know sees these.” she states. “And I think we all know you don’t want that to happen do you?”
Peter shook his head and sniffed.
“Good boy.” his grandmother smiled. “You may not realise it but it’s for your own good.” she told him.
Naturally he quizzed her. “How is it good?”
“Well for a start this door will be locked.” she replied, briefly glancing at the bedroom door. “So if you do need the toilet in the night, you’ve got your nappy.”
He gulps and hopes to heaven that he doesn’t need the bathroom before morning. His grandmother bids him a goodnight once more, before leaving him alone and locking the door.
Part of him wants to defy her and remove the dreadful garments anyway, but a bigger part of him fears exposure. He stares at the ceiling for an age, unable to sleep. He turns onto his side, then the other side, then back on to his back. His mind is racing. He can’t help but imagine scenarios where he’s being paraded in public wearing a dress… or worse still, his nightclothes. He felt a swelling deep in his nappy and visualised the Disney Princess picture on the front. His minds-eye zoomed out to reveal the transparent plastic pants and he considered the prospect of wearing the ensemble beneath his school uniform. He imagined everyone laughing as he changed for PE. He shuddered and stiffened all the more as thoughts and ideas cascaded in to his mind. He’s playing netball instead of cricket, wearing a short pleated PE skirt that bounces as he runs and throws the ball… each time his nappy and see-through plastic pants are revealed to all and sundry. Each thrilling visualisation is accompanied by a deep sense of shame and guilt. He touches himself as best he can through all the layers until he finally attains the relief he needs. Soon enough he falls deeply and soundly to sleep.