For the first time in a long time, Julia started thinking about not wearing a diaper. She very quickly decided it was going to be a bit weird. At least at first. The thought of actually having to use a toilet was strangely foreign. She knew that she had totally gotten over the issues she had a few weeks ago about having to use diapers for everything. Yesterday in the grocery store was kind of the final frontier she thought. As she thought more about it, she had to admit that she had grown quite accustomed to the whole ‘not potty trained’ thing.

Shirley noticed that Julia was just standing there. “Honey? Come on, let’s go, I don’t think either of us want to be here all night.”

Her Mother’s words kind of snapped her out of her thought process and Julia walked over to the changing table. “Sorry Mother, I was just thinking about what it’s going to be like to not wear diapers anymore.”

Shirley, who was holding a new diaper in her hand, looked at her daughter confused. She glanced at the diaper and then at the Julia, but still seemed perplexed. She looked back at Julia and finally said “Huh?”

Julia paused in front of the changing table. “Well, I just noticed that we are almost out of diapers…” Julia’s voice trailed off. She assumed that her Mother understood what she was talking about. I mean here the second case was about to run out. And the deal had been ‘at least one week’ and that was long past. It was only because they had run out (at day 6 Julia reminded herself) before the week had ended that she was still in diapers at all.

Julia was a tiny bit surprised at how she felt. The empty feeling in her stomach told her how she really felt about it all coming to an end. She looked up at her Mother, who was still looking somewhat confused. There was a pause and Shirley and Julia just stared at each other. The silence became somewhat uncomfortable, and Julia realized that her Mother really was not getting it at all.

“I mean,” Julia explained, “I started thinking about what it’s going to be like when we run out, and I stop wearing diapers…” Again she allowed her voice to trail off. Julia thought that her Mother was probably just surprised to hear her say that she was just now thinking about this. That would explain the confusion. Her Mother must have thought she had been eagerly waiting for this second case to run out.

She looked again at her Mother, whose expression changed from confusion to one that looked kind, but a little concerned.

“Honey,” Shirley started slowly, “don’t you think it’s time to stop pretending?”

Julia paused for a bit and realized that her Mother was probably right. All good things must come to an end. And as a healthy active young woman, she certainly wasn’t expected to be in diapers. And even though she had gotten used to them, she was sure she would get used to not using diapers again just as fast. She turned and looked at her Mother and said, “Well, yea I guess you are right. It’s just going to be weird at first I think.”

“Weird at first? Wait, you mean… oh dear.” Shirley said flatly. After speaking she took a deep breath and then let out a sigh. “Oh honey,” Shirley started and then stopped. “I thought…” she started and stopped again.

Now it was Julia’s turn to look confused. That was certainly not what she had been expecting to hear. What was she talking about, and why as she concerned? Julia looked at her Mother and the confusion showed.

“What?” Julia asked.

“Julia, honey, listen. Maybe I am the totally off base here and if that is the case I’m sorry. But I really don’t think so.” Shirley started. She turned her head slightly and smiled at Julia. “Honey take a look around you. This is your bedroom, and you have a changing table in it. I’m about to change your diaper for what, the second or third time today?”

Shirley stopped and Julia realized she really wanted an answer. “I don’t know, I think it’s the second time. Unless you are counting school” Julia said somewhat absentmindedly.

“I don’t know?” Shirley said, echoing Julia’s words. “Honey, tell me the truth; did you even know your diaper needed to be changed when I checked it?” Cause it seemed like you didn’t.
Julia answered the question without giving it any thought. “Well, I didn’t remember that it was wet. I guess I forgot about it.” Right after the words came out, Julia remembered that in fact she hadn’t been able to remember when she had wet herself.

“I forgot?” Shirley said, again echoing Julia’s words. “Honey, you have had a wet diaper every morning this week. Do you remember wetting your diaper in the night, or did you ‘forget’ about those too?”