“I shouldn’t tell Dania I’m a wuffie unless she’s a wuffie?”
“Exactly.”
“I was wuffie first.” If Dewi wasn’t mistaken, Bebe sounded…pleased about that.
Dewi wasn’t sure where Bebe wanted to go with this, but she’d follow along in hopes of a breakthrough. “Pretty much, yeah.”
“I’m better at it.”
Bingo.“Well, I don’t know, sweetheart. Apparently, you can’t change back tostopbeing a wuffie when you want to. If Dania can change back before you can, I’m sorry, but that means she’s the better wuffie, and—”
And…just likethat, there sat Bebe, in all her indignant naked toddler glory, with a scrunched up face that would set a thousand ships aflame with the force of her anger and her arms crossed over her chest. “Auntie Dewi, I’m a better wuffie than her! See?”
Dewi choked back her howls of laughter.Competitive nature, FTW. “You’re right. Youarea better wuffie than Dania. I’m sorry, sweetheart.”
Dewi sat up and didn’t dare drop the advantage. She touched Bebe’s shoulder and used a pinch of Prime powers to keep the tactical advantage—and to keep Bebe from shifting back. “Let’s get your PJs on, and then you and I can snuggle up to watch TV before we go to sleep. You can sleep here on the couch with me and we’ll let the TV play all night. I’ve never had a slumber party before.”
Bebe nodded. “Okay!” She bounced off the couch—still two-legged—and ran to her Hello Kitty backpack where her things were.
Dewi snagged her phone, waited until Bebe had the nightgown pulled on and was looking for a pair of her nighttime sleeping diapers she still wore, although it looked like she wouldn’t need those for much longer, and then took a picture of her.
She opened today’s group text she had going with Peyton, Trent, Beck, Ken, Duncan, Joaquin, and Badger and sent the picture with a text message.
We once again have a two-legged toddler. Beck, please tell Nami. Now I’m going to sleep.
There was a flurry of thumbs-ups and smiley faces in response. Then, a private text from Beck in their ongoing thread.
How’d you do it?
Dewi smiled.
Used one of the oldest and most powerful forces in the world—the cousin equivalent of sibling rivalry. Long story short, I implied Dania was a better wuffie than Bebe if Dania could change back and Bebe couldn’t. BAM—toddler.
Beck replied with a series of laugh-crying emojis. Then:
Holy shit, I have 3 little sisters. I don’t know why I didn’t think of that!
Bebe finished pulling her sleeping diaper on and then returned to the couch with her special blanket.
Dewi was snuggled in with Bebe when her phone rang.
Nami.
Dewi answered. “Secret Wuffie Girl Slumber Party Club. Press 1 for information.Beep.”
Nami sounded like she was laugh-crying herself. “I love you, Dewi.”
Dewi didn’t expect the prickle of tears to hit her the way it did. “Love you, too. Hold on, I’ll put it on speaker.” She did. “Say hi to Auntie Nami.”
Bebe was already engrossed in the cartoon. “Hi, Auntie Nami!”
Nami started laughing again but Dewi heard the relieved tears choking her voice. “Hey, baby girl. You gonna be a good girl for Auntie Dewi tonight during your slumber party?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Okay. Me and Uncle Beck will be over tomorrow and you can help me make your favorite cookies.”
“Yay!”
