Bow Kid looks slightly uncertain, so you take her hand reassuringly, letting you guide her out of the room. You do most of the talking as Bow Kid is strangely embarrassed by forgetting them.
“It’s not a problem, sweetheart,” says mum as she crouches to your levels. “Have you got plenty back at home?”
“Yeah,” Bow Kid replies.
“Have you got a key or is there a spare key about? We can go and pick them up.”
Bow Kid shakes her head.
“No, mummy doesn’t have a spare key at the house. She keeps it in the car.”
“Hmm — well, I guess we’ll have to make a quick run to the shops, okay?”
Mum tells both of you to go to the loo before you go. As you wait for Bow Kid to finish, mum pulls you aside.
“Sweetie?” she asks quietly. You look back questioningly. “Now, I know I said you can be in nappies too —” your heart drops; it sounds like mum has changed her mind “— but I think you need to ask your friend for permission, first. It might make her more and not less uncomfortable.”
Oh.
That sort of makes sense, and is way better than mum saying no. You nod.
“Okay.”
Heading out to the car, mum starts fitting Bow Kid’s car seat. Both of you watch as mum threads the seatbelt through the seat and then clicks in a thing a bit like a seatbelt plug to a special slot in the roof. Then she tightens the belts.
“All ready to go,” mum announces.
The car seat is pretty similar to your own. It’s got loops that your arms go through which connect together across your chest and then connects to another set of belts that go up between your legs. Your chair in comfy and you’re sure Bow Kid’s is comfy too.
“Now, lets check everything fits you properly,” says mum as Bow kid climbs up and sits in the chair.
After looping her arms through, Bow Kid lets your mum buckle her up and check the straps.
“All good?”
“Yep!” Bow Kid replies.
Maybe it’s mum’s attention, but Bow Kid seems less embarrassed about forgetting her nappies now.
You do your own buckle up which mum quickly checks before closing the door for you. Soon, mum starts the engine and pulls out of the driveway.
Looking across at your friend, you realise she’s in reach, even though she’s on the other side of the car. Your reach out as Bow Kid, spotting your movement, reaches out too. You hold her hand for a few seconds, but the long distance you have to reach is a bit awkward. Bow Kid seems to share the thought as you both giggle when you let go.
Knowing you have to ask Bow Kid about the nappies, you wonder how to ask. It soon occurs to you that if you ask in front of mum, Bow Kid might accidentally reveal how interested you are in trying them. A worry that mum might change her mind if you’re too keen comes to the forefront of your mind. So, you decide to ask her at the shops, or maybe when you get back home.
“How do your feel about coming in with me when I buy them?” mum asks Bow Kid.
Bow Kid blushes and shrugs.
“I guess I’m okay,” she says quietly.
You can see mum give her a concerned look.
“You can wait in the car if you want, sweetheart,” says mum kindly. “I’ll only be a few moments.”
Bow Kid seems slightly surprised.
“Oh — okay.”
That works perfectly for you, too.
It only takes a few minutes to reach the shops. As mum gets out of the car, she says, “I’ll only be a moment.”
“What do you do when your mum goes shopping?” you ask after mum locks the doors.
“Well — um — I can’t stay in the car for that long,” Bow Kid explains. “Mummy doesn’t make it obvious and she buys big boxes, so it’s only every few months.”
You nod, the explanation making sense.
“So, if it’s one a night —” Bow Kid nods “— that’s like thirty per month,” you think aloud. “They must be really big boxes.”
Bow Kid hums in agreement.
Now you need to ask the other questions.
“Can I ask you something? Something else?”
Bow Kid blinks in surprise before smiling widely.
“You already asked me something, silly,” she says, giggling.
You smile faintly back.
“Yeah, but it’s… something else,” you say, procrastinating. She’s looking at you curiously again. “After the sleepover, mum was asking me some stuff, about how I figured it out.”
You’re not sure how to continue it though. Saying you willingly will wear nappies is… something. Maybe your expression betrays your worry, because Bow kid looks worried back.
“It can’t be bad,” Bow Kid offers. “After everything you did for me…”
You give her an embarrassed but thankful smile.
“Well, I said that — to make you feel better — that I c-could wear them too,” you explain, substituting the actual word with them at the last moment.
Bow Kid’s eyes go wide at the statement.
“Mum said that I should ask you first, though.”
She looks shocked, but after a moment her smile grows. You think your can see her eyes glisten slightly.
“Really?” Bow Kid asks.
She looks deeply thankful at your nod.
