In the living room, I find a lot of my toys, some of them from the trash bag where I stuffed them. Was that just last night? “You can earn the rest of your toys back with good behavior.”
There are several additions to the room that weren’t here when we came in before my nap. Daddy’s been busy. There’s a playpen in one corner. It’s colorful and out of place in this room of earth tones. Through the archway to the kitchen, I see an equally out of place highchair. At the entrance to the hallway I just came through is a baby gate. It’s not up right now, but I imagine at some point it will be put in place to let me know I’m not to leave the room.
“I have a surprise for you,” he declares, his eyes twinkling.
“What’s that, Daddy?”
“Anabel and her Daddy are coming over in a few minutes.”
I grin and then remember what I’m wearing and glance down.
He chuckles. “Anabel will be dressed the same. Every Little on the island will, baby girl,” he reminds me.
I nod slowly. “When she gets here, can we go outside, Daddy?” I glance at the inviting swing set.
“I think it’s a great idea.” He pats my head and pulls me in for a hug, rocking me back and forth against his chest.
I realize we haven’t been this close lately. Not for a while. It feels nice.
A knock at the door makes my heart beat faster. “It’s them,” I declare.
Daddy closes the few feet toward the door in two strides and opens it.
Sure enough, I find myself fact to face with my friend Anabel for the first time in months. She’s sitting in an adult-sized stroller, but she starts kicking her feet excitedly as Anthony bends down to unbuckle her. Seconds later, he lifts her out and lets her run into the house.
We hug awkwardly with the bulk of two diapers between us. “I’ve missed you,” I tell her.
“I’ve missed you too.” She glances around. “I love this house. How pretty.”
I nod. “I like it too, though I’ve only been here a few hours and most of that time I was taking a nap.” I scrunch up my nose.
Anabel giggles. “I had to take my nap before I could come over too.” She looks past me toward the kitchen windows. “You have a swing set!” She turns toward the men who are shaking hands as Daddy closes the front door. “Daddy, they have a swing set. Can we go outside?”
Anthony looks at her sternly. “We’re guests here, Anabel. How about some manners. It’s up to Melody’s Daddy. We don’t know his rules.”
I tip my head back toward Daddy. “Can we, Daddy?”
Daddy nods. “Go on out. We’ll grab some iced tea and be right behind you. Be careful,” he adds to our retreating backs.
I’m relieved to see Anabel is dressed identically to me. Fully exposed diaper, tiny white T-shirt, sandals. It calms me to know I’m not alone in this world I’ve been dropped into.
When we step out back, I glance around and point to a sandbox at the far end of the yard. “We can build a castle,” I exclaim.
Anabel nods enthusiastically as we run that direction. As soon as we plop down in the sand, she crisscrosses her legs and leans on her elbows, looking at me. “So? What do you think? Do you like the island so far?”
I shrug. “I’m not sure yet. I’m still in shock. Daddy didn’t tell me where we were going before we left this morning.”
She grins. “I knew where we were going when we came here for vacation, but I hadn’t done any research, so I was blindsided.” She palms her face. “I mean it’s called Regression Island. You would think I would have had a clue.”
“I was kind of blindsided myself. Don’t feel bad. What are the parks like? I can’t wait to visit them. I have to earn my visits with good behavior though, so it could be a while.”
Anabel giggles. “They’re so much fun. There are three parks—a zoo, a water park, and an amusement park.”
“And every Little on the island really wears a diaper?”
“Uh huh. No exceptions. It’s an island rule.”
I swallow. “So like, if you live here, you never ever get to use a bathroom?”
