Loretta wrapped her arm around Rupert and began to usher him away from the large doors of the store and away from the front towards her Cadillac XT5. Her car was parked in the first stall just past the handicapped parking so it was already close to the store. She got Rupert to stand between her car and another before she moved to the trunk.

Loretta pressed the button on her hands free litigate, then the doors. She went to the back first and opened her road side emergency bag grabbing the plastic poncho from the bag resting next to an umbrella.

The poncho and umbrella were there on the off chance it might rain while changing a tire, as if she would ever do such a thing. She left the umbrella and grabbed the poncho moving back past Rupert to the door. She opened her rear door to spread the soft plastic over the seat so Rupert could climb in and sit.

With the exception of summer when she forgot a towel to cover the leather she regretted sitting Rupert down on the poncho. However, Rupert was eager to hide and thankful just to get out of the public view.

Rupert waited for Loretta to fix the poncho over the seat. He did exactly as Loretta instructed. The poncho was four feet by four feet square with a hemmed hole for the head in the center of it. When Loretta was done Rupert sat looking out of the tinted windows.

“Honestly I don’t know what happened,” Rupert said and then added, “you’ve got to believe me, it’s like I said, I’ve never done that before.”

“I know. Listen to me, we’ll fix this. Honey, it’s not your fault, but let’s ignore that for the time being and get you dry first. To do that I’m going to need your waist size,” Loretta asked.

“My waist size,” Rupert asked and added, “you need my waist size? For what? I mean how come?”

“Because honey, what is happening to you is only going to get worse before it gets better,” Loretta said closing her eyes to the throbbing pain that was pounding behind her eyes.

“Worse? How can it get worse? I just wet myself? What does that even mean? Worse? How do you know that? How can you know that,” Rupert asked with a worried look on his face and a growing panic in his voice as he added, “was I injured or something?”

“Please young man, can we wait on that conversation, I really need to get you a change and I need an aspirin for myself very badly,” Loretta said and added, “so, let’s stay focused on those two things only for this moment and talk later. Now, please honey, focus, can I have your waist size?”

“Twenty two inches,” Rupert said looking at her curiously. Rupert was about to ask why again, but he suddenly lost the thought. He did feel a sudden warmth towards Loretta, and he focused on that. Nothing else mattered suddenly but her.

“I’ll be right back,” Loretta said. She had given up trying to reason with the boy as she gently pushed on Rupert again, this time very lightly and only to calm him. Her headache was killing her and she had no time for the boy’s questions. She planted another thought of calmness in his head as she said, “Just lean back, close your eyes and relax. It’s going to be okay.”

Rupert, with a growing sense of security, felt very safe and suddenly thankful. He nodded, closed his eyes leaning back against the seat. Endorphins began flooding his brain again. Neuropeptides and peptide hormones began flowing over Rupert as Loretta found the part to push on.

There was a sudden rush of role processing neurotransmitters that instantly associated Loretta with Rupert’s maternal senses and pair bonding. His central nervous system had been gently teased to overcome his anxiety over wetting himself as well. He trusted Loretta and immediately relaxed. Rupert felt the small rush of warmth again, but this time as he wet he ignored it.

His wet pants were getting wetter. Loretta cursed under her breath as she realized Rupert was wetting as she gently closed the door and quickly walked off towards the Amalgamated again. She was going to need to shampoo the inside of the car after this she thought. Next year when she bought her car she wouldn’t get leather she mused.

Loretta turned and walked quickly towards the store and kept whispering his waist size and cursing herself. She couldn’t believe this was happening as she headed for the pharmaceuticals first. She could only just manage the pain. How could she have lost control like that.

Loretta grabbed a cart, found the chewable aspirin, fought the lid with shaking hands using a nail to cut through the protective wrap, punched through the protective paper, cursed the cotton she tugged free and managed to get three aspirin out for her headache. She would love to push the people that built in those safeguards she mused.

She chewed the aspirin, making a face, swallowed them dry then headed for the sodas and water. She grabbed a flavored water, twisted the cap, drank and pushed the cart forward at the same time. From there she would move to the disposable diaper section.

By the time she felt the first three aspirin just beginning taking hold she found the diaper aisle. She still had the headache but the painkilling drugs were rushing into her bloodstream thanks in part to her own skills. She moved her cart out of the aisle’s center, stopping for a moment to closed her eyes.

Out of the way, standing with her eyes closed she silently recited a momentary mantra and scanned her own chemical’s path. She continued the sacred utterance that slowly enveloped her own brain easing the pain. With the pain nearly gone she moved to the diapers to read sizes.

It wasn’t until she began turning the adult packages over to see the actual waist sizes that it struck her how tiny Rupert really was. She was way off in diaper sizes as she moved left down the aisle from the adult section towards the children’s diapers. She kept moving left till she came to the toddler sizes.

She only stopped at the Pampers section because she recognized the name. It delighted her some standing there in the middle of diapers meant for babies and toddlers as she reached back momentarily to where Rupert sat. In all the chaos she hadn’t realized he was as cute as she had imagined, made even cuter now as she held the diapers in her hand.

Loretta was moving again down the line to the toddler cruisers. It took her five tries but she found a diaper package that went from 20 to 25 inches. She was looking at a toddler on the package front. Rupert, she noted with a touch of surprise, actually fit easily into a Pampers size 6 baby diaper. She put the Cruisers into the cart with wipes, baby powder and rubber gloves. On a whim she tossed a pacifier into the basket.

That realization he fit toddler diapers was her first bit of warmth as she smiled over the child on the front of the package. Loretta realizing Rupert was so small made her also remember that she had been able to put her arm around him easily. He really was small, almost tiny, even elf like, making her start guessing he might be far younger than she first thought. He might even be preteen. Preteen would be worrisome.

Preteen would make diapering him too risky in this day and age. With everything else that had happened the last thing she needed was anything to do with a child and nudity. Loretta decided she would have to let him diaper himself as she made her way to the registers with her purchases. She picked up some kitchen towels and sanitary wipes.

She still worried over him diapering himself simply because he was in her car but there was nothing to do about that. Still, even then she would be at risk because he’d have to remove his clothes. She might have to do a full mental wipe she realized which made her uncomfortable doing so, but then again…

She smiled at the clerk ringing her purchases which now included a bottled water with a third gone. As soon as the water had been rung up she opened it again and drew another third. she got a nod and a “have a nice day, as Loretta took the grocery bag. She reached the car and saw the shadow of Rupert still inside.

“I’m back. Are you okay,” Loretta asked worried she might have injured him beyond what she’d done. Loretta did a soft probe and search within Rupert’s brain and found no tell tale hues of reds, oranges or even yellows as she removed the package of diapers from the bag.

“No. No I’m not okay. I wet again. I couldn’t help it, What’s happening to me,” Rupert said calmly and in a much quieter tone added, “honestly, I don’t know what’s wrong. I didn’t even feel it till my bottom started getting warm again”

“I know honey, that’s why I got you these,” Loretta said handing Rupert the diapers as she began working on freeing the kitchen towels from the large staple and cardboard.

“Diapers? You got me diapers,” Rupert said looking at Loretta in shock and then added, “wow? Lady, you’re not really serious? Diapers? I don’t know what you were thinking, but I’m not wearing diapers.”

“Honey, you’ve wet twice already. You’ll wet a few times more today. You need these,” and then added, “oh, and can I ask how old are you?”

“How old? I’m eighteen! Why,” Rupert said and added ignoring the question on his age, “and how do you know I’m going to wet more?”

“Because, as I’ve said, you’ve wet twice already. I’m asking your age so I can consider your size, actually your bladder size. Your bladder holds about 7 ounces. How much liquid have you had today,” Loretta asked.

“How should I know,” Rupert said.

“Can you please guess for me,” Loretta said.

“I don’t know? I guess about… maybe? Okay, fine. I had a full glass of juice before I left the house. What’s that? About 8 to 10 ounces. Most of that was at breakfast,” Rupert said, and added, “are you a doctor or something?”

“I have medical training. Let’s see? Kidney to bladder? You’ve had a full glass at breakfast so that means you’ll likely wet one more time within the next few minutes from that. Then blood to kidneys so you’ll most likely go another two to three times after that,” Loretta said.

“How do you know all that,” Rupert asked as he watched Loretta now opening the package of diapers.

“Rupert, The problem is you don’t have any control over your wetting at the moment. The normal triggers that warn you if your bladder is full are not working. They got shut off. Your bladder isn’t storing the liquids. It’s voiding them okay, but it’s not telling you. I’m asking how much liquid you have in you to know how many diapers you’ll need,” Loretta said.

“You can’t know that,” Rupert said.

“Based on what you’ve told me you’re going to need at least another four diapers Rupert,” Loretta said and added, “and I can know that. It’s simply math.”

“How can you know that,” Rupert asked.

“The water you drank is absorbed into your bloodstream from your stomach and intestines. That’s about a quarter of a liter every 15 minutes or so. Your kidneys process what you don’t need as urine. That urine normally goes to your bladder until it’s full. Unfortunately your bladder isn’t holding any of it” Loretta said and then added, “so you’re 18?

“Yes,” Rupert said and then added, “and why isn’t my bladder holding anything?”

“Because I told it not to,” Loretta said and then added, “hard to believe your 18, but I’m thankful for that. What’s your name honey,” Loretta asked.

“Rupert… Rupert Baker. What did you mean when you said you told my bladder not to hold my urine,” Rupert asked.

“That’s for another time,” Loretta said and then added, “you’ve really got to get into one of those diapers.”

“Diapers,” Rupert said looking at the package of disposable she was opening at the end, as he added, “You’re not seriously expecting me to wear a baby’s diaper are you?”

“Rupert, like I’ve said, you’ve wet twice. You’ll wet again, maybe twice more before I can get you somewhere private. I’m afraid you have no choice. Listen Rupert, just so you know, what happened to you is going to last for at least another three to five days, depending on your recovery time.”

“What,” Rupert said utterly shocked.

“That’s right. For some, those with weaker minds it could even be as high as ten days. And to be honest Rupert it’s all just a guess,” Loretta said and added, “so you can sit there and soak yourself or put the damn diaper on till I can get you home.”

“Are you serious? What the hell happened to me? Wait? Are you telling me I’m going to be wearing diapers for… No, no, no. That can’t be! There is no way. I can’t be in diapers for what? Two weeks,” Rupert said and added, “I’ve got school?

“I’m saying it could be that long. I’m not saying it’s going to be that long,” Loretta noted.

“So what if I stop drinking till it passes,” Rupert said making it more a question than a statement. He knew before Loretta said anything that he wouldn’t last without water.

“Impossible Rupert. You’ve got two to three days, some can last a week, but there is damage to your body after that long without water. Rupert, don’t be silly, there is no need for you to go without water just to avoid wearing diapers,” Loretta said and added, “wear the diapers.”

“So what happened to me,” Rupert asked still reluctant to even take the diaper she had managed to pull from the bag.

“Answering that is going to be long and complicated, and I’d like the time to answer, but we need to leave here and go someplace to talk for me to do that, and that means you need to change,” Loretta said and added, “and you need those clothes cleaned. They are full of urine.”

“But you do know what happened,” Rupert asked.

“Rupert, I do and but to be honest with you I’ve still got my headache a little, and I can’t think anything else to say so if you’re not going to wear the diapers and you don’t care about staying wet. Please leave.”

“Wait what,” Rupert said.

“Rupert, you’ve exhausted me,” Loretta said and added, “You don’t want to wear the diapers? I get that! So honestly there is no more reason for you to stick around any longer, and that plastic cover isn’t going to last very much longer. I’m asking you to leave my car and go find your own.”

“I came on a bus,” Rupert said.

“Okay, Then I’d suggest you hurry to the bus stop and make it home,” Loretta said.

“I can’t go out like this,” Rupert said and then added, “I can’t believe I’m about to diaper myself.”

“I’m sorry Rupert but I’m afraid it’s necessary. Those pants and your underpants are not going to absorb very much more, if any,” Loretta said and then added, “now then, you can sit there and put this on or, if you prefer, you may lay back after you’ve taken your clothes off and let me do it?”

“NO! No way! I mean no, I can do it. Can you turn around for a second,” Rupert said abruptly and added, “seriously, I can do it myself.”

“Of course. I got you wipes as well,” Loretta said turning to look out over the other cars she was parked with. That soft push she gave Rupert then was simply to add more emphasis to the decision to be dry over the embarrassment of wearing a diaper. She also minimized his fear of being seen.

Loretta sat in the front seat and closed her eyes. At the same time she opened her mind to the inputs. With her headache growing less intense she was smoother this time. She couldn’t help herself as she began to view down at the car.

The top of the car, opaque at first, shimmered slightly and grew transparent as Rupert came into view. Loretta started to watch Rupert . The image of Rupert undressing formed as she quietly watched him undo his pants after he removed his shoes and socks.

She was beginning to gain insight into the boy as he folded his socks and placed each into a shoe. He was neat as he placed his shoes together putting them aside first.