As they went upstairs, Sarah could not help but feel warm and fuzzy inside. Her mom really talked to her like she was an equal when it came to Sammy. She had a sneaking suspicion that if she pressed her mom, she could even get her to admit that Sammy was basically her little brother.
Sammy’s door was closed upstairs, but to Sarah’s surprise, Sammy was not hiding inside. He was actually in the bathroom, patiently waiting for them. He still wore his t-shirt and he tugged it down a bit as they entered.
“What’s Sarah doing here?” He asked, staring at her. “She’s not supposed to see me in the bath.”
“She saw you naked how many times today?” Mom said. Sammy looked as if he was not sure if the question was supposed to be rhetorical or not. “Besides, Sarah’s going to have to supervise your baths while Dad and I are working.” Sammy looked at his mom in shock.
“What?”
“She’s just going to supervise. You’ll bathe yourself. Is that a fair compromise?” Sammy looked unconvinced. “You know why you can’t be alone in the tub, Sammy.” His mom said. “It’s either Sarah does it or Mrs. Boone from next door comes over and each and every evening to watch you in the tub.” Sammy’s nose wrinkled at the thought of that. “What’s your decision?” Sammy stared down at his toes, playing with the hem of his t-shirt.
“Sarah” he mumbled.
“That’s what I thought.” Mom said. “Let’s get that shirt off.” Sammy quickly covered his crotch. “Sarah, start filling the tub please.” Sarah complied, distracting her while Sammy was stripped of his last piece of clothing, leaving him a very naked little boy. “Looks like you got some sun, Sammy.”
“We were swimming for a while.” Sarah called over her shoulder. Mom inspected Sammy’s shoulders and back.
“If it starts to itch, let me know, kiddo. Look, the tub’s full. In you get.” Sammy got in under the watchful eye of both his mom and his sister, taking care to step slowly in so as not to give them any excuse to try and make this even worse for him.
“How’s the temperature?” Sarah asked.
“Fine” Sammy mumbled.
“We really should do something about your mumbling.” Mom said, handing him the washcloth. “Go on. Show us both how well you can bathe yourself.”
Sammy felt the same twinge of nerves as he did on a big test as he began to wash his arms. He kept stealing glances at his mom and sister, but they paid him little mind, chatting away about mom’s new job. Sammy did not really understand what it was his parents did, but Sarah apparently did. He could not help but feel small as he sat in the tub, bathing himself, the grown-up conversation sounding like nonsense in his ears. Everything seemed fine until his mom stood up.
“Sammy, stop dilly-dallying. I’m going downstairs for five minutes. I want you done by the time I get back. And that means everywhere.” She turned to Sarah. “And Sarah, behave yourself. If I hear Sammy whining, I’ll know that you’re doing something mean.” She walked out of the room, asking whatever powers were listening for five minutes of peace and quiet.
Almost the second that she had gone out of sight, Sarah swooped in and snatched the washcloth from a very surprised Sammy. Ignoring his attempts to take it back, she grabbed his ankle and began to wash his feet. Sammy squealed with laughter as the soft washcloth tickled his sensitive feet.
“Gotta make sure to clean between each and every one of your little tootsies.” She said. “You were barefoot today!” Sammy was practically paralyzed by the tickling sensation, but in between breaths, he begged for Sarah to stop. “I will if you say it.”
“I’m a little” he gasped between breaths. “Boy who needs his big sister.”
“To bathe him, that’s what I thought.” Sarah said, switching over to his left foot. “Except,” she paused to tickle the sole of his foot with soft, delicate touches of her fingers. “I think something’s wrong there.” She slowed tickling so Sammy could hear. “How little do you think you are?”
“Huh?”
“Compared to Jaxon.”
“I’m bigger.” Sammy said at once, his voice filled with a childish indignation. Sarah nodded.
“Of course you are.” She said indulgently. “That’s why, after all, you stole Jaxon’s undies.” Sammy whimpered. “It’s normal to steal a littler boy’s undies, isn’t it?” She tickled Sammy’s feet. “Isn’t it?” He blushed and shook his head. “That’s right.” She tickled him again, smiling as he squealed and squirmed. “I think it’s pretty clear that you’re smaller than Jaxon, isn’t it? Itty bitty Sammy. My helpless little baby.” Sarah kept going until, finally, just what she had expected to happen did. “Sammy! Did you just piddle in the tub?”
“You made me!”
“Only babies piddle in the tub, Sammy. That settles it, you must be a baby.” Sammy whimpered, tears welling up in his eyes. Sarah smirked, confident that she had reasserted her authority, but it had been five minutes since mom had left.
“Sarah Marie, what on earth are you doing?” Horror filled her voice. “Did I just hear Sammy say you made him potty in the tub?”
“We were just playing”
“I do not want to hear it, missy. March your butt downstairs this instant! Honestly.” She took the washcloth from Sarah and watched the girl leave. She turned back to Sammy. “Sammy sweetheart, I don’t blame you one bit. I know how forceful Sarah can be.” She came over and pulled open the drain. “We’ll drain out this icky peepee water and give you a proper bath, okay?” Sammy, still shaken by the experience, simply nodded.
Her idea of a proper bath meant that Sammy got bathed all over again and the bashful boy emerged from the tub all shiny and pink. His mom looked over her handiwork as she dried him.
“This bath might last you a week!” She teased. “Gosh, your hair’s getting shaggy. You’ll need a summer haircut soon.” Sammy simply nodded, eager to get clothes on again. “Oh, I almost forgot. Sammy, you know how the washer has been on the fritz for a while?”
“Yeah” Sammy did not like the sound of this. His mom paused at his closed bedroom door.
“It ate your sheets, so I had to dig in the attic to find your old ones.” His old ones? He had had those sheets for practically as long as he could remember. His mom opened the door and his jaw dropped. On his bed were the bedsheets he had had in preschool, Elmo’s smiling face everywhere he looked as the red monster danced around on his bedsheets. The comforter was a blue much more juvenile than Jaxon’s underwear and it had both Big Bird and Elmo on it, as if to advertise its babyishness.
“Mom” his voice shook.
“I know, but they’ll do for tonight, don’t you think?” She walked over to his dresser. “And in the box with those, I find these!” She held up a pair of Elmo briefs. Sammy stared at them in shock. What was going on? “You used to adore Elmo, remember?”
“I guess. Why do you have those?”
“There was an unopened pack in the box. I think I meant to donate them to charity, but I figured, why not see if they fit? They’re not that different from the ones in your drawer. In size, I mean.”
“Mom, they’re obviously too small.”
“Then it won’t hurt to try them on.” She said with a smirk all too reminiscent of Sarah. She kneeled down and held them out for him. He sighed.
“My legs won’t even fit” his voice faded away as he recognized suddenly that there was a very good chance they would fit him.
“Pull them up.” Mom said. He complied and she steered him in front of the mirror. Not that long ago, he had had on a pair of navy blue briefs and now? Now he stood in front of the mirror in red and white Elmo underoos. He knew that, at the moment, no one would think he was bigger than Jaxon. He whimpered.
“Okay, they fit, can I take them off?” His mom shook her head.
“Nope. You can wear them for tonight. Think of it as punishment for stealing.” She grabbed his pink nightie and pulled it over his head, threading his arms through. Sammy would never be thankful for his nightie, but at least it covered his humiliating briefs. He sighed as he realized nothing would cover his matching bedsheets. “Into bed.” Mom said. “It’s late and you have school tomorrow. I’ll put the other Elmo undies in your drawer, in case you change your mind.” She winked and kissed his forehead. “Nini, Sammy whammy ding dong.” She teased. “Just remember, come home straight after school and listen to Sarah.”
“But”
“We’ll talk to her about our expectations. You’ll only be alone with her during the day, okay?” Sammy nodded, but it would be a while before he fell asleep, fearful thoughts running through his head. He smiled and dismissed them. How bad could it be?
Topic: Boys Don't Wear Dresses (Read 69125 times)
