Mika Goes To The Zoo

By: Sophie & Pudding

"Why do we have to visit Aunt Ellen anyway?"

"Stop fussing," my mother told me as she sat the fresh diaper under my bottom and sprinkled
powder between my legs.

"I didn't need to be changed," I said for the third time.

"Don't start, Mika.  You were soaked.  And I want you to make a good impression on  your
aunt this time."

"What do my diapers have to do with a good impression?"

"Mika, I mean it."

I pouted and crossed my arms as my mother finished diapering me in the back seat of our SUV.
We were only ten minutes out from Aunt Ellen's house.

"You know we don't mind you making your own decisions, and we will always be
supportive of you. But you have to act your age sometimes and know that while you can
make your own choices, there can be consequences too. Like your Aunt saying nasty
things.” Diaper changes were a part of life in the Greene household - ever since Mika had
turned seven and realized nobody had asked her opinion or permission to potty train her some
years prior. Mika was a remarkably precocious young girl.

"I do act my age," I said sourly and flattened my skirt down over my diaper.  I was eleven - I
acted eleven.  So what if I wore diapers?  I liked them!  They were comfortable and convenient
and I didn't care what anybody thought.  And after wearing them for four years, my interest had
become... something of a need.  Even if I wanted to wear underwear, I'd probably have to potty
train all over again.  I blushed at the thought and sunk down in my seat.  Whatever.  I didn't even
want to potty train...

"Well, if you're acting your age then you understand that Aunt Ellen can be a stickler for
rules in her house. So be good. Did you want to get some McDonald's drive thru before we
get there?" She was, after all, an eleven year old girl.  At least some of her interests were age
appropriate.

"Yes please!" Dad ordered me some chicken nuggets and french fries and I'd eaten all of them
before we pulled into Aunt Ellen's driveway.  Her house was a lot bigger than ours - it had two
floors and a full basement.  I wasn't looking forward to this... my aunt wasn't as understanding or
supportive as Mom and Dad.

"Well look who the cat dragged in," Ellen smiled, little crinkles on the edges of her eyes
coming together to make her look a lot more kindly than she was. "Come on in, you must be
exhausted from the drive.  And look at you, Mika, you must get bigger every time I see you
- or I need new glasses!"

"Hi Aunt Ellen," I said quietly, like I had rehearsed it in the car, and gave her a hug when she
prompted for one.  Ellen looked a lot like my mom, but with different hair and a little bit older.
They were sisters, after all.
"Make sure to take off your shoes," she told me, like I had forgotten after last year.  I kicked
my shoes off by the door and my parents did the same.

"Now, I'm sure you're past your phase from last year, so I didn't put the rubber sheets on
the bed," Ellen began, as she led the family up the stairs to the guest area of her house, not at
all offering to help with cases or anything. Aunt Ellen wasn't a rude woman by any means, but
she placed great value on accommodating as is own contribution to family. "Martha, you and
Edwin will be in here, and Mika, your room is through here - I've redecorated since last
year."

I gave mom a sideways look, pouting a little, but she gave me a stern one right back.  Be good, I
remembered.  Whatever.

"Thank you Aunt Ellen," I said as she left me at my room.  It was very different to last year - the
plain boring colors had a colorful pop to them.  The new quilts had frills and the bed was replaced
with a daybed.  If I were any taller, I probably wouldn't have fit.  But it was only for the weekend.
I started to unpack my suitcase, stocking the diapers in the top drawer of my dresser.

"I was thinking that we would go to the zoo this afternoon if you're feeling up to it," Mika's
Aunt prompted, but upon walking into the room mid conversation, she saw what was being put
into the drawer and rubbed the bridge of her nose. "Mika, darling, you're eleven years old. I
do hope that wasn't what it looked like."

"It doesn't matter how old I am," I pouted, closing the drawer and unpacking my sundresses
next.  I wasn't even here ten minutes and we were already talking about my underclothes!  It
wasn't her business!

"Well, I'm sure that your parents may think so, but you're almost an adult now, Mika - a
teenager in a few years.  Do you want boys knowing you're still wetting the bed?" 'Wetting
the bed' was Aunt Ellen’s parlance for 'voluntarily staying un-potty-trained' because bedwetting
was at least something she could wrap her head around. "Let's not bicker, pick out something
cute, and we'll see about that zoo trip."

I didn’t care what boys thought.  A lot of kids at school knew I wore diapers, though I wish they
hadn’t.  Crinkling underpants aren’t exactly easy to hide, after all.  And I had to take daily trips to
the nurse’s office to get changed.  I’d just started middle school and my life was only getting
harder…

But it made me happy!  Even if kids teased me and Aunt Ellen didn’t understand, it wasn’t
anyone’s decision but mine!  So when my aunt offered to drop the conversation and go to the
zoo instead… well, that sounded like a good plan to me.

The Lindenville Zoo was really cool.  They had polar bears and penguins and giraffes and
everything.  I wanted to go last year but it was raining the whole weekend.  But as we climbed
into Aunt Ellen’s little car - my mom sitting in the back with me - there wasn't a cloud in the sky.

"Are we there yet?  How much longer?"

"We'll be there soon, darling, it's across town, remember?" Although how her mom expected
her to remember that when she couldn't even remember to use the bathroom was really
anybody's guess.

"Buckle up back there,” Aunt Ellie reminded as she turned down the street.
My excitement got the better of me and I felt the warm flow spread between my legs, soaking into
the padding.  That feeling, that unexpected burst of heat... I blushed a little and smiled to myself.
Diapers were so nice.

"Let's try and have a good time at the zoo,” Mika’s dad said. “And no arguing.”

Obviously her Mom could tell when her daughter was wet just by sitting beside her, but Aunt
Ellen was nowhere near as developed in her senses for these things. "Oh now don't be silly,
what would we argue about? Maybe which animal to see first?"

"Penguins!" I said excitedly, and everyone agreed.  After getting through the front gates I went
up to the map and looked for the penguin exhibit, but it was on the other side of the park.

"How about we see the lions, then?" my dad suggested.

"Uh huh, alright."

"See? She's much better when she's acting her age,” Ellen said in a whisper. “You really
need to put your foot down occasionally and tell her no, Martha. Girls her age need
boundaries and guidelines.  She needs a parent, not a friend."

Martha couldn't help but smile a little as she pretended to listen to her sister. "I just want her to
be happy."

"Lions are a lot bigger than they look on TV." But all the lions were lying down and not really
doing anything.  At least on TV they run around and attack things.  This was sort of boring...

"Can we look at something else now?  What about the giraffes?  Those are just around
the corner."

“Do you need to be changed, sweetheart?” her Mom asked, and Aunt Ellen went wide eyed at
the implication. “It’s warm out, and I don’t want you to get a rash.”Ellen shook her head and
clucked her tongue disdainfully, sighing aggressively.

"I'm fine, Mom." I mean, I was wet, but I didn't mind.  And I didn't want to talk about it in front of
Aunt Ellen.  So I hurried ahead to the giraffes. They were huge!  And they had little feeding
machines too. "Dad, can I feed the giraffes?  Please?"

"I'll have to check the feeding times, princess, but you should ask your Mom about getting
changed first." When he said it, warm fatherly tones, it was quiet and calm and out of earshot of
Aunt Ellen. "Or are you not ready yet?"

I pouted and crossed my arms. "I'm really fine, I promise!" He gave me a pensive look and
nodded his head before messing up my hair.  At least someone believed me.  

Ten minutes later, I got to feed the giraffes.  They had huge tongues and scooped the food right
out of my hand!  It was so cool!  Then we went to the reptile house and I saw the snakes.  I was
sort of afraid of snakes, but they weren’t so scary behind the glass.  After that, we saw the
monkeys and the gorillas, which are not the same thing at all.  I learned that last year in science
class.  

By the time we were on the other side of the zoo, at the penguins and the polar bears, my diaper
was soaked and I had a slight waddle to my step.  But I was more concerned with the animals.

"Oh my gosh, penguins are so cute... could I get a pet penguin?"

"I don't think you're allowed to keep them as pets, hunny."

And at that, Aunt Ellen perked up. "If  you stop wearing diapers, and act more like a
teenager, I'll buy you a penguin for Christmas."

"Ellen!” Martha shook her head and looked at her daughter to continue. "Auntie Ellen is joking
honey. She'd never try to force you to change who you are."

I looked down at my feet and walked away from my family, leaning over the penguin
exhibit. "Why can't she just leave me alone?" I muttered more to myself than the
penguins. "Why does it matter to her what I wear?  Mom and Dad don't care..."

I shifted awkwardly in place, feeling the heavy sway of the diaper under my skirt.  My tummy
rumbled uncomfortably and before I noticed, I started pushing the big mess into the seat of my
diaper.  I bent over the railing to finish.

Here, in public, in the outdoors and surrounded by animal exhibits, it would be easy to conceal
what she did. For a spell. Her Mom approached a few moments later and put her arm around her
child and squeezed her close.

"I'm sorry about Aunt Ellen, she means well and she loves you, she's just... set in her
ways. She never had kids, so she doesn't understand how we can let you make your own
choices the way we do."

Mom wrapped her arm around me just as I finished filling the diaper and I let out a small sigh of
contentment.  Relaxed.  Safe in my diapers.  I smiled up at my mom. "It's okay.  A lot of people
don't like it - like kids at school and stuff.  I'm used to it." I put my arm around my mom and
pushed my face into her shirt. "Thanks for letting me do what makes me happy.  You and
Dad are the best."

"Yeah we are. And you..." She pressed her face to her daughter’s hair and laughed after
breathing in, "are one smelly young lady. If you don't want to give your poor Aunt a
conniption fit, we could probably excuse ourselves and go get you changed. What do you
say, mm? For Aunt Ellen? Poor old gal, she can't make heads or tails of anything outside
her circle."

I puffed out my cheeks and shook my head. "Nooo, Mom!  Please?  Can't it wait until we get
home?" She gave me a serious look and I gave her my best puppy dog eyes. "Pleeeaaaase
Momma...?  Juss until we get home...?"

"Not a chance, honey, you getting in the car with Auntie Ellen like that? Come on
now." Her Mom leaned down and picked her up, holding her up against the crook of her elbow
and kissing her forehead. "Be a big girl, okay? You make me so proud, and I know you
wanna be a good girl for your Dad and me, right?"

I pouted and put my head on her shoulder as the mess squished against my bottom.  This wasn't
fair... I wanted to stay in my diaper until we got home!  But if Aunt Ellen had to smell me in the
car, she'd probably start yelling again...

"Fine," I muttered. "Just this once..."

"Just this once. Remember, changing your diaper doesn't change who you are.” Her Mom
carried her up the path to the public bathrooms a little ways away from where her Dad and Aunt
were talking. One day, her daughter might grown up, but that had to be own decision.
Mom put me down outside the family restroom and I shifted from foot to foot in the very wet and
very messy diaper, trying to enjoy it for as long as I could.  But the next moment, Mom ushered
me inside and turned on the light.  She locked the door behind us and picked me up under the
arms, sitting me in my mess on top of the changing table.  I was a little too big, so my feet hung
over the edges.  I hated changing tables, but bathroom floors were so gross.

"There we go, lay back, don't worry, Momma is here." Despite her daughter's disdain for
being changed, she really did seem to enjoy the experience as a whole. Her legs being lifted up
and held above her, the diaper being untaped, the feel of fresh air in her privates, it was all a very
lovely experience. And when her mom would wipe her clean with the cooling wipes, doing her
best to avoid her daughter getting another rash, it was a moment they could share. Mother and
daughter. Precious and special. Even if that moment did involve an eleven year old girl being
changed out of a diaper she voluntarily wet and messed.

I looked up at the ceiling as my mom drew the wipe along my skin, then balled up the stinky
diaper and threw it in the trash can.  I was still sour that I had to change so soon, but... well, the
feeling of a fresh dry diaper was nice too.  Mom hummed a soft song while she unfolded the
diaper, lifting my legs by the ankles.

She set Mika’s bottom down, positioned her with well practiced precision into the right place on
the diaper, and powdered her thoroughly before she began to tape her up. Maybe being a
teenager would be what broke this tradition, her daughter courting boys or girls, not wanting to be
embarrassed. For now, Martha saw no issue with what made Mika happy. She lifted her up off
the table and set her down on her feet, pulling down her dress and patting her butt lightly. "There
we go, you lil stinker, fresh and clean like a brand new baby girl."

"I'm not a baby," I said sternly.

"It's just a saying," Mom told me, kissing me on the forehead before leading me out of the
bathroom with the diaper bag on her shoulder.  Dad and Aunt Ellen were waiting for me by the
polar bears.

"Alright, how about we go get some lunch?"

"At Zoo prices? Absolutely not. We can eat when we leave."

"Now now, Ellen. That's awfully financially conscious for someone with penguin money.
We're all hungry, come on."

Mika squeaked as her Dad plucked her up and dropped her onto his shoulders, legs on either
side. "I hope they have elephant ears." He laughed.

Happiness came in a lot of forms.  Some people liked to play video games and some people
liked to eat a lot of different foods.  For me, happiness was simple.  It was a trip to the zoo with
my family.  Zoo.  Family.  Diapers.  What better happiness was there?

[End.]