Chapter 13
It was about another two weeks later, by which time Christopher was into a perfect rhythm. The new nappies were far thicker and more absorbent than his old ones and with two additional nappies inserted he was more than secure. This was just as well, because he had developed quite a taste for cranberry juice and was now being given a huge sippy cup full at bedtime which he always finished. His Babygro was at full stretch when he was put to bed with the poppers threatening to snap open at any moment.
He was still taking his âvitaminâ tablets but Sister and Nurse Betty wondered if he really needed to take them anymore. On one evening a few days ago, Nurse Betty was almost sure that he had wet his nappy even before they had dressed him in his Babygro and was sure that he looked a little sheepish. During the night he slept soundly and never stirred any more when the urge to wet himself was upon him and there was no doubt that he was back to being a bed wetter and completely dependent on being put back in his nappies at night. He was also completely dependent on his dummy and he suc-ked it continuously night and day without a second thought. Nurse Betty thought he looked more than a little anxious when they thought they had lost it during his morning wash and tooth brushing.
One morning Nurse Betty came rushing in to Christopherâs nursery âYour Mummy is here darling, come on quick as you can, you have to be in Miss Primmâs office right away, because your Mummy just popped in on her way to an important meeting.â
She unclipped his pink baby harness and helped him to get out of his cot. He pointed at his nappy indicating that he need to be changed and dressed into his school clothes.
âNo time to dawdle Chrissieâ, she helped him out of his cot and into a pair of pink slippers with big pompoms on the toes. His nappy being thoroughly soaked sagged noticeably in his Babygro and he felt the weight being suspended by the poppers at his crotch.
âI cannot go like thisâ he spluttered past his dummy, as Nurse Betty propelled him down the corridor.
They arrived at Miss Primmâs office, Nurse Betty knocked on the door and pushed Chrissie in to the room. His mother was standing in front of Miss Primmâs desk dressed in a very smart charcoal grey business suit underneath she wore a silk white blouse. She smelt of Chanel No. 5, he smelt of warm pee and baby powder.
âLook at youuuu!â she exclaimed holding on the ooooh as she emphasised the word âwho is this lovely baby girl in her pink Babygro and little bib?â Christopher suc-ked hard on his dummy as he always did now whenever he was stressed. âAnd who loves to suc-k his big babyâs do-di?â she asked in a sickeningly sweet voice. âAre you wearing a nappy darling?â she asked incredulously but judging by the bulk deemed it a stupid question anyway!
Before Chrissie could answer Miss Primm replied for him âWe had to put him in night time nappies because we could not have him wandering about the school with so many girls. He told us he was not a bed wetter, but as you can see by the way his nappy is sagging, I would say he has maintained his unbroken record of wetting himself every night since he came here. Havenât you sweetheart?â she said giving him that special look.
He nodded his head in agreement
âBecause he told us he did not wet the bed and then woke up the next day in a wet nappy, it proved he had been fibbing to us, so we gave him a dummy as punishment until he had a dry night. The trouble is he has not had a dry night since.â
Christopher looked very uncomfortable, but there were new problems on his mind and they were not entirely unrelated to what they were talking about, because now he felt and urgent and desperate need for his potty. After a daily routine of potty use his body expected release and worse than that expected release immediately.
His mother came over to him and gave him a big hug and he tried to respond, but his mind was elsewhere and he began to fidget. âCome on Chrissie, give me a big cuddle, donât be like thatâ.
Miss Primm who was familiar with the well-known signs of the âpotty danceâ smiled knowingly.
âIt is not your fault Mrs. Greenburg but Chrissie was so pleased to hear you had come to see him that he would not wait for Nurse Betty to change him, nor did he wait for his potty break this morning. I think our little chicken is about to lay an egg in his nappy!â
âSorry?â demanded Anne âdid you say he didnât use his potty? Surely he doesnât use a potty does he?â
âWell he didnât originally but he does nowâ explained Miss Primm âhe never used to clean up the loo after himself and wellâ she chose her words carefully âit was a bit unpleasant for visitors and guestâ she said in a quiet voice. âSo now he goes in a lovely new potty that we bought for him to keep in his room.â
Christopher did not want to interrupt because he knew the punishment would be that he would be left in his wet nappy for the rest of the morning. It had not happened yet, but he had been threatened a few weeks ago. He put up his hand but Miss Primm seemed to be looking at his mother. He rushed to his mother and gave her a huge hug âI have to use the potty Mum, pleeeaseâ he whined in her ear, but the dummy made his words unclear. Whatever was inside him was fighting to escape and despite his most urgent attempts the launch sequence had started. âMummyâ he almost squealed in despair.
âSweetheartâ she said glowing âYou havenât called me Mummy in years, you really are turning back into a sweet boyâ she said with feeling.
âMummy, I have toâŚâ but it was too late and instead of finishing his sentence he let out a babyish groanâ.
Miss Primm looked at Chrissie kindly âI think Chrissie has had a bit of an accident and done a poo in his nappy, but it doesnât matter does it Chrissie, because that is what nappies are for?â Christopher just wanted the ground to open up and swallow him. His mother put her hand on the bottom his Babygro and gave it a little pat.
âI think somebody has done a big stinky and needs a clean nappy!â she laughed as she felt the load through the back of his pants and gave it a big push to squash it firmly against him. The sweet revenge after years of misery and abuse from this lout was at last hers to enjoy and savour. She relished in Chrissieâs misery, she looked at the figure before her dressed in a pink Babygro, suc-king a dummy, wearing a bib covered in drool, back in nappies during the night and not only wetting them like an incontinent toddler, but now soiling them like a small baby.
Chrissie was crying like an infant, tears ran down his face, his nose was snotty and he was slobbering around his dummy. He stood bow-legged not knowing what to do or where to go. The look of total delight on his motherâs face at his suffering was something he knew he richly deserved.
Miss Primm took a muslin nappy out of her desk cupboard and passed it to Anne. âHe is beyond a hanky or tissue I think, better clean his face with thisâ she said passing the white cloth to her. As she had done over a decade ago, she gave her son a hug and carefully wiped his face. She took out his dummy and as she did so saw the flash of panic come into his face. She held the handle of the dummy in her mouth as she cleaned him up, then she did not know why but turned it round and gave it a suc-k to clean it just as she had done when he was a baby. She remembered something about a mother suc-king her babyâs dummy improved their babyâs immune system. She surprised herself by doing this and then thought that her sonâs dummy was very soothing! No wonder they call it a soother she thought.
Miss Primm said âI do have spares if you would like one Mrs Greenburg; as a souvenir of courseâ. Anne pulled herself together with a start. âChrissie, you have a stinky bottom, so please go to Nurse Betty at once and give your mummy a big kiss goodbyeâ she commanded.
Anne gave Chrissie a long soft hug which he returned. âI still think you look really sweetâ she told him âmuch better than the old Christopher. Love you.â She said as he turned to the door.
âLove youâ he mumbled through his dummy just as the door closed behind him. Anne heard the words and was overjoyed.
âMiss Primm, you and your school have done an amazing job on Chrissie, I cannot tell you how grateful I amâ.
âHe is doing very well. To be fair he is working really hard, has shown a great deal of thoughtfulness to his fellow pupils especially one young girl who he seems to have adopted as a sister. He works hard at his lessons, has a natural flair for needlework and crochet, indeed he won a prize for these!â she reached in to her desk again and took out the bib and matinee jacket that Chrissie had made.
âSo what happens next?â asked Anne
âHe is clearly unable to stay dry at night now and soon he will start to have daytime wetting accidents as well. Usually around this time he will soil his nappy during the night and it is this event that is the major turning point that completely breaks his potty training. The brain is a complicate organ and things which are controlled automatically can be changed so that reversing the process back to the way they were becomes almost impossible.â
âYou mean he will completely accept the process?â
âYes, he will associate nappies as being the norm. Nobody in the school bats an eyelid when one of their members turns up dressed in baby clothes, because it is the normal punishment. Far from being nasty or making comments they show sympathy because they know that one day it might be them suc-king the dummy or sitting in the highchairâ.
âI sent Chrissie here to get evenâ she said âI never thought revenge would be a wet nappy I certainly never expected it to be a dirty nappy!â
The two of them laughed and laughed
[Concluded]