Lucas reluctantly took it. His slim fingers shook. Orange chocolate sloshed over the rim and onto the pavement. He blushed, looking both scared and embarrassed.
“Here. Let me help. I don’t bite. Promise. I’m not a vampire; just a werewolf.”
He almost smiled at her silly Halloween joke. Prudence took the cup back. She spied a folded up piece of white cloth with orange piping next to his sippy cup on the table. “Hey, what’s this?” With her free hand she picked it up and flapped it open. An adult-sized terry cloth bib with plastic backing that rustled almost as loud as his diaper. “Cute. It really completes the look.”
“No!” His face flushed read and his heart thumped so hard he thought his ribs might break. Warm pee flowed between his legs; his diaper swelled up more. The wet feeling stayed this time. He was getting pretty soggy, even with the booster.
He only used his bibs when he was home alone. Rosie knew about them since she frequently pawed through his closet. He caught Prudence’s use of ‘look’ instead of ‘costume’. She knew he was a big baby. A freak. Not just dressed up in a silly Halloween costume. This was a part of him. He hugged Fiji tight.
“I’m not judging. Dude. Relax. You really should have a few sips. It’ll help you relax. Gospel truth.” Pru tilted her head to one side, staring at him while she evaluated the situation and his emotional state.
Luc tried to calm down. He felt raw and exposed, like his skin had been stripped off with a cheese grater to reveal the ugly truths of his secrets. Bared his soul to a stranger. He focused on his breathing and rubbing Fiji’s fur. He tried to use calming tactics to center and ground himself. It was so much harder without Cookie’s help. Maybe a drink would help, even if it smelled funny. Maybe it tasted good. His hands shook too bad for him to hold the cup.
“I could hold the cup for you.” Pru began in a slow, prodding tone. “But it still might spill…on your pretty bear and nice sleeper….I don’t think you want to set your bear down…Do you?”
He felt trapped. She reminded him strongly of Rosie. Both were stubborn and would not take no for an answer. He whimpered at the thought of setting Fiji down. She was his security blanket. He NEEDED her.
He saw where Pru was heading. He dreaded it, wanted the ground to open up and swallow him, but he resigned himself like he always did with Rosie. He saw no way to refuse her.
“So….how about we use this? No one’s paying attention. I swear on the Bible. This’ll just be part of the costume. “ Her soft tone cajoled. She set the cup down and stepped closer to his wheelchair, bib in hand.
Luc clung to Fiji and shut his eyes tight. He sucked hard on his pacifier and managed a little nod of his head. The bib pressed gently into his neck as she tugged on the strings, tying it behind his neck. He felt the…his bib flutter as she fluffed it, making sure it covered his torso and his bear.
“There. You really do look adorable. Honest. I’m not teasing. I really mean it. And your bear is all safe and sound under your…the bib.” Sincerity filled her voice, chipping away at the last bits of his shy-hard shell. His insecurities and resistance crumbled.
“Fiji. Hew name’s Fiji Beaw.” The rubber nipple pressing on his tongue skewed his words. He lisped softly, as if letting her in on a precious secret. Fiji was special to him, to the hurt Little part of him. Letting Pru know that exposed a vulnerable, vital part of himself. He was letting a stranger he’d met today aim an arrow at his open heart.
His bib should’ve comforted him. It usually did. In her presence, he just felt more exposed.
“Fiji, like the island? How fitting. Her fur looks like tropical water.”