Emma Participates In Her Sister's Study

Part: 1

The sound of the florescent lights could be heard hanging high in the ceiling above a large polished conference table shaped like a horseshoe placed neatly in the back of a modestly sized meeting space where several individuals sat chatting among themselves until they each heard the sound of doors being opened followed by the sound of heels clicking loudly as a tall woman wearing a pair of black slacks, heels, and a perfectly fitted polo red polo.

“Thank you all for waiting,” The woman said with a delicate yet confident smile as she made her way towards a podium positioned in the center of the room with the entirety of the table surrounding her. “My name is Maribel Smith, and I…” Maribel started to say, but she was quickly cut off by a shrewd-looking woman wearing large, round spectacles while writing down something on a clipboard in her manicured hands.

“What is your Major, and which graduate program are you currently enrolled in?” The woman asked without raising her eyes to meet Maribel’s gaze.

“Uh, my major is psychology, but I’m not currently a part of a graduate degree program at the moment,” Maribel said with as much confidence as she could muster as each of the individuals gathered around her began writing on clipboards in front of them.

“Then, perhaps you are a senior?” A man with a bushy mustache said with a smile that began to fade as Maribel quietly shook her head.

“No, I’m actually just starting my second year as a sophomore,” Maribel said while rubbing the back of her neck with her hand.

“And what exactly is it you would intend to research if you were granted funds?” The shrewd woman asked, placing her clipboard down on the table in front of her, along with the others who sat around her.

“Well, I’d be researching the efficacy of using hypnotherapy to…” Maribel tried to say, but before the woman rose from her seat with a sigh, followed by each of the others in attendance. “Wait, don’t you want to hear my…” Maribel shouted as the door to the room opened and quickly closed, leaving Maribel standing in the space on her own. “Guess not,” Maribel whispered as she collected herself and made her way to the door with her head hanging low as she made her way through the campus to the parking lot, where her sister, Emma, stood talking to a tall guy with short black hair and an athletic build she didn’t recognize.

“Mari!” Emma shouted as she quickly glanced away from the man at her side while waving enthusiastically for Maribel to join her.

“Sorry, Emma, but I’m not in the mood to meet another one of your boy toys right now,” Mari said with a shake of her head while looking down at her feet before climbing into the passenger seat of her sister's SUV.

“Mari, don’t be rude!” Shouted while she looked at the man beside her. “Listen, I’m sorry to cut this short, but maybe you and I could continue this chat sometime,” Emma whispered into the man’s ear while taking the man’s hand into her own before writing her phone number on the back of his hand. “Don’t be a stranger,” She said with a wink before turning away to join her sister inside her vehicle.

For a moment, Emma quietly sat in her seat while slowly digging her key out of her purse before turning to find Maribel resting her head against her window with a look that nearly broke her heart. Emma’s gut instinct was to say something reassuring to her baby sister that would lift her spirits, but as she went to open her mouth to speak, Maribel quickly shouted.

“It went like shit if that’s what you're wondering!” Maribel shouted, causing Emma to gently place her hand on Maribel’s shoulder. “Look, I’m sorry, but can we just go home?” Maribel said in a tone that was a mixture of frustration and sadness that made Emma’s heart ache like an overburdened camel with too large a load on its back.

“Sure,” Emma said without another word while gently rubbing her hand on Maribel’s shoulder before removing it to start the vehicle and begin the long drive back to the apartment that they’ve been sharing for a little over a year. “You mind if I put something on the radio?” Emma asked cautiously, looking for any way to break the cold sheet of ice that was forming between them under the warm sunlight of the afternoon.

“Do whatever you want,” Maribel whispered while closing her eyes as Emma pressed play on her stereo’s CD player before turning the volume up as the pleasantly familiar melody of a song she and Emma would listen to whenever they were talking about their desires, hopes, and dreams back when they both still lived with their parents. “I’m not really in the mood,” Maribel whispered as flashbacks of the disapprovingly shrewd woman appeared in her mind, flanked by the silhouettes of her associates looming over her.

“You know when I first moved out,” Emma said while modestly lowering the volume of the music while she drove. “I thought I’d be climbing the ladder to an important executive role once they saw just how talented I was, but as it turns out, I work with a lot of talented people,” Emma said while giving Maribel a quick glance to find her eyes still looking at her motionless feet. “I thought I’d never get an opportunity to show what I was capable of, but then, during my end-of-year review last year, I was asked to fill in for my Team Lead while they were on vacation.” Emma continued, realizing that they were almost back home, causing her to think of how she could wrap up her story before Maribel would surely try to disappear into her room as soon as they got home. “That week was just the opportunity that I was looking for to show those above me that I had what it takes to lead a team of my own, and,” Emma tried to say before she was abruptly cut off by Maribel as she began to sob.

“I’m so glad you are so wonderful as usual, but how exactly is flexing your successes supposed to make me feel better?” Maribel asked weakly while pulling her knees up to her chest while wrapping her arms around her legs, while straining against her seatbelt to rest her head on top of her knees. “They didn’t even give me a chance when I walked into that room, and left without so much as hearing a single word that I had to say,” Maribel sobbed as the silhouettes in the back of her mind chuckled mercilessly at her failure, causing the dam holding her emotions back to burst.

“Shit,” Emma thought to herself as she quickly glanced down the street outside their apartment complex for a moment before spotting an open spot along the side of the street that she quickly pulled into while slipping off her seatbelt and putting the vehicle in park.

“They didn’t care how many hours I studied, how many hours I’d researched, or even how many sleepless nights I’d spent practicing the presentation of my thesis in front of a mirror for an audience of one!” Maribel shrieked, causing several pedestrians walking down the sidewalk alongside Emma’s vehicle to momentarily glance in her direction before carrying on with their day-to-day activities. “I’m a failure,” Maribel moaned as Emma slid atop her center console uncomfortably while removing Maribel’s seatbelt before pulling Maribel against her chest tightly while lightly rubbing Maribel’s back.

“No, you’re absolutely not a failure,” Emma whispered while gently rocking side to side with Maribel wrapped in her arms. “No, a failure would make excuses, refuse to learn from their mistakes, and would have given up long before you ever would,” Emma whispered, causing Maribel to meet her gaze even as tears continued to roll down her cheeks.

“You really mean that?” Maribel asked weakly, realizing that despite how older and more mature she had become, she still craved the approval of her big sister.

Rather than answer right away, Emma quietly continued to pat her baby sister’s back while she burrowed her face against Emma’s warm chest. “You know I’m hopelessly incompetent when it comes to telling lies, so I hope you can believe me when I say every word I just spoke is nothing but the truth,”

A small laugh escaped through Maribel’s lips as she slowly began to pull herself away from Emma while wiping her eyes with the fabric of her shirt. “I don’t know how you do it, but you’ve always been great for a pep talk,” Maribel said with a small smile as Emma reclaimed her seat before resuming their drive home.

“I’m only so good at giving them because I’ve been getting them my whole life from the people that I know care about me the most,” Emma said while turning up the music once more as she tried to think of something she could do to help her sister when it had occurred to her that she had never actually told her what she was planning to research in the first place. “So, since those asshats at that stuffy university wouldn’t hear you out, then why don’t you share your presentation with me once we get home?” Emma said with a tone she silently prayed Maribel would find sincere. Immediately, Maribel’s cheeks turned crimson as she once again became completely silent while looking down at her feet, causing Emma to worry that perhaps she’d upset her baby sister yet again. “Hey, I’m being completely serious here,” Emma said while pulling into a parking space near the walkway closest to their apartment. “I want to hear what you’ve been working on, and if I can, I want to help you in any way that I can,” She said with a serious expression while leaning forward to better see Maribel’s eyes.

“I don’t know if I can tell you,” Maribel said while her face began to heat up from a mixture of new emotions she was feeling in that moment. “It’s kind of an embarrassing topic to talk about outside an academic context,” Maribel said while squeezing her knees with the palms of her hands until Emma tenderly placed a hand on Maribel’s forearm.

“That’s fair,” Emma said with a well-practiced smile of reassurance. “Since that’s the case, then I promise that no matter what you share with me, I will view it objectively for what it is rather than subjectively based on my own personal biases.” Emma finished saying while extending her pinkie finger out to Maribel. “I pinkie promise,” Emma finished while Maribel quietly gazed into Emma’s eyes, looking for any sign of deception or ulterior motives.

“Alright, I’ll tell you, but only because you’ll find out anyway after my findings are published,” Maribel said while wrapping Emma’s pinkie finger with one of her own, while they both gently shook them up and down.

Part: 2

The scent of cinnamon danced around Emma’s nose playfully while she quietly took her place in the center of the living room sofa, while Maribel paced dramatically on the other side of the coffee table. Emma set down a tray topped with a fresh pitcher of lemonade, two glasses, and two plates containing tuna sandwiches with chips.

“Mari, why don’t you come have a bite of something to eat?” Emma aid with a concerned look on her face as she watched her beloved little sister pace around the room in a way that Emma was entirely sure was healthy. “I promise, we’ll have time to talk after you’ve put something in your stomach,” Emma said while taking her own plate from the table while taking a bite into the warm bread in her hand as she took a bite before taking a sip from her lemonade.

“No, I really need to do this before I lose my nerve,” Maribel said anxiously as she cleared her throat while she tried to sort through her mind to think of the best way to convey what she had been planning to research without sounding like a weirdo or causing her sister to withdraw her offer to help her.

“Alright, Mari,” Emma said as she began eating quietly, giving Maribel the space she needed. Until finally, she cleared her throat loudly. “Alright, I think I’m ready if you don’t mind giving me just a few minutes, Ms. Smith,” Maribel said, causing Emma to unintentionally laugh.

“We’re home, you can drop the miss, and just call me sis,” Emma said while trying her best to stifle her laughter as she saw Maribel’s face become flush with embarrassment. “But if it makes you feel more confident, you can call me whatever you want,” Emma quickly added while placing her plate back down on the table before sitting up as tall as she would while leading a team meeting.

“Alright, Emma,” Maribel said with a flustered chuckle as she glanced down at a small stack of index cards in her hand for several minutes before she pleadingly looked into Emma’s eyes. “I can’t do this,” She said weakly as she walked to the couch while sitting beside Emma, and took her place at the table. “Let’s just forget about doing this,” Maribel said while taking several large bites of her sandwich before taking several large gulps of lemonade.

“We can if you want, but I’d rather you just tell me what’s on your mind,” Emma said while taking the index cards from their place in front of Maribel before she was able to stop her.

“Hey, don’t read those!” Maribel shouted in a panic just as Emma slid the stack of cards beneath her leg, preventing Maribel from attempting to take them back.

“Now, as simply as you can tell me what it is you want to tell me,” Emma said while resting her hand on Maribel’s shoulder. “Don’t worry about presentation, don’t worry about academics, just worry about telling me exactly what it is you are trying to accomplish,” Emma said as she channeled a pep talk she had given many times throughout the years. “Just keep things simple for now, and we can worry about making it look better later,” Emma finished saying just as Emma finished stuffing the second half of her sandwich into her mouth. “Chew and swallow first,” Emma said, stopping Maribel from trying to speak with her mouth full of tuna salad.

“Alright,” Maribel said finally after another long drink of Lemonade followed by several deep breaths with her eyes closed. “Look, do you promise not to laugh?” Maribel said while Emma reassuringly nodded her head.

“I promise to try,” Emma said with a small smile that made Maribel laugh a little.

“Close enough,” Maribel said while clearing her throat once more before starting to speak again. “The goal of my study it to evaluate the effects extended age regression therapy can have on an adult’s emotional well-being, stress levels, and cognitive creativity,” Maribel said while momentarily pausing as if she were expecting Emma to be shocked or outraged.

“That’s a very interesting premise, Mari,” Emma said with a smile as she slid closer to Maribel while wrapping her arms around her shoulder. “Have there been any other studies on this subject, or are you breaking new ground?” Emma asked more to keep Maribel from clamming up or worse, giving up.

“There have been some studies, but none that cover the exact parameters I’m looking to cover,” Maribel said while secretly hoping this would be enough to keep Emma from asking too many questions.

“I see,” Emma said simply with a smile while looking directly into Maribel’s eyes. “So, how were you planning to go about finding the answer to your hypothesis?” Emma asked as Maribel took another deep breath.

“I was going to have participants partake in various tests and activities throughout the course of a week to track whether or not they are showing any signs of improvement to their stress, creativity, and general well-being when compared to baseline statistics that will be gathered before and after the study.

“An entire week?” Emma said with a small sigh. “Wouldn’t two or three days suffice?” Emma asked, prompting Maribel to slowly shake her head.

“In the studies that I’ve read, there is a window of time needed for a participant to settle into the structured routine of the study, and this results in needing more time to ensure all data collected is genuine and not the result of stress from being placed in unfamiliar circumstances,” Maribel said in a confident tone brought on by the many hours of personal and academic research she had done over the years.

“I see,” Emma said with a contemplative look on her face as she had already begun the mental gymnastics that would be required to get time off from her job. “So, let’s say I do this, what exactly would you be needing me to do?” Emma asked while she began checking her calendar on her work phone.

“Well, at the risk of scaring you off,” Maribel said with a cautious laugh, breaking the silence that now filled the room as Emma’s gaze returned to her eyes. “All you would really need to do is allow yourself to spend a week living more as a baby than an adult while having all of your needs met by a caretaker,” Maribel said while trying to sound as confident as possible.

“So, be pampered and babysat for a week?” Emma asked plainly, causing Maribel to nod her head. “And since this entire project is going to be just you and me, that would mean you’d be looking after me?” Emma asked with a small smile as she finally understood why Maribel hadn’t wanted her to find out about the content of this little project.

“Right, since I won’t be able to hire anyone to work with us, I will be the one filling in as your caretaker for the duration of the study,” Maribel said while Emma began to laugh.

“I’m sorry, but I have just a little bit of concern about letting you be the one calling the shots around here,” Emma said while pulling Maribel into a quick hug. “Are you sure you are ready for a big responsibility like that?” Emma asked while visualizing all the things that only got done because she had done them on Maribel’s behalf. “It’ll be a big responsibility taking care of me, and everything around here,” She quickly said while releasing Maribel from her embrace while looking her in the eyes.

“If you try your best to help me with this, then I’ll do my best to keep things from falling apart around here,” Maribel said while extending her pinky and holding it in front of Emma. “Deal?” Maribel asked after she took a deep breath to calm her nerves.

“I’ll need a few weeks to get the time off from work, but I think you’ve got yourself a deal, little lady,” Emma said with a bright smile, wrapping her pinkie around Maribel’s pinkie finger, causing Maribel to throw herself into Emma’s arms. “Hey, I thought you were supposed to be the caregiver,” Emma said with a light smile.

“Thanks for giving this a chance,” Maribel whispered as Emma gently placed her arms around her baby sister. “I’ll start making preparations to get everything we’ll need ready for the week,” Maribel said while resting her head comfortably on Emma’s chest.

“No need to thank me,” Emma whispered while softly stroking Maribel’s hair. “This is just something big sisters do,” Emma said with a smile as she closed her eyes lightly and began to hum a melody that their mother would often sing for them.

“I won’t let you down,” Maribel whispered, causing Emma to squeeze her tight just before Maribel finally pulled herself out of Emma’s warm embrace.

“You’ve never let me down yet,” Emma thought to herself as Maribel began to take their dirtied plates, glasses, and the half-full pitcher of lemonade into the kitchen.

Part: 3

The sound of a pleasant jingle fills the silence around Emma’s ears as she slowly opens her eyes and reaches for her phone, perched on her nightstand, with the screen displaying that it was now just after six in the morning.

“I wonder if Mari is awake yet,” Emma thought to herself as she recalled Maribel’s insistence that they each get an early start today to ensure that they would have enough time to do everything that needed to be done before they got started with what Maribel had taken to calling an Official Study. “A full week of pampering, or rather being pampered,” Emma thought with a small chuckle as she imagined lying around the apartment lazily while Maribel tried to do everything she would normally do. “Poor kid doesn’t have any idea what she’s signing up for,” Emma thought with a sigh as she quietly slid out of bed before tidying up her sheets and blankets while fighting the urge to check her work phone for any new emails and messages. “No, you’re on vacation,” Emma chanted to herself as she slipped into her bathroom to relieve herself before taking a long, hot shower.

The water was the perfect temperature as it rained down onto her hair and chest, and she spent several minutes enjoying the warm sensation of the water as it slowly enveloped her entire body, until she was standing beneath a steam cloud that filled the entirety of her bathroom. “Maybe, I’ll make something for breakfast before we get started?” Emma thought to herself as she quietly washed and shaved her body until her skin was as smooth as a baby’s bottom. “Maybe pancakes?” Emma thought as her stomach started to rumble, as she began to imagine a stack of warm, buttery hotcakes topped with maple syrup. “Yes, that’ll be a perfect way to start things off,” Emma thought cheerily as she finished washing her hair, before grabbing a towel and wrapping it around herself, tightly covering her chest while wrapping another towel around her hair.

“Now, let’s see, Emma asked that I wear something easy to change out of?” Emma mumbled to herself as she reached for a black nightgown with thin spaghetti straps that she enjoyed wearing on lazy days when she didn’t have a lot to do. “This will do nicely,” Emma whispered as she finished drying herself off before slipping into her gown while savoring the way the cool fabric felt against her freshly shaven skin until she heard her stomach begin to growl once more. “Right, let’s get breakfast started,” Emma thought to herself as she quietly hung her towel back in her bathroom before proceeding out to the kitchen. “Let’s see I’ll be needing this, those, and certainly that,” Emma muttered to herself as she collected everything she would need to make a rich and hearty breakfast for herself and Maribel.

Within minutes, the smell of sizzling bacon and the sound of stirring could be heard as Emma routinely moved from one part of the kitchen to the next, until the food had finished cooking. “This smells wonderful,” Emma thought as she reached into a cabinet to retrieve a pair of plates, glasses, and silverware. “Let’s set these over here,” Emma muttered to herself as she set the empty glasses and silverware on the table in front of the chairs Emma and Maribel would often use when sharing a meal together. “And now let’s load these up,” Emma said while stacking several pancakes on each plate before applying a generous portion of butter and maple syrup to each stack, before finally placing four pieces of crispy bacon around each stack of pancakes. “Mari,” Emma shouted as sweetly as she could while setting the plates down on the table. “Mari, come get some breakfast?” Emma repeated as she made her way towards her sister’s bedroom before knocking several times while continuing to call Maribel’s name out loud in an attempt to help stir her from her sleep. “Mari, it’s nearly eight o’clock,” Emma said while slowly opening Maribel’s door, causing the subtle sound of Maribel’s snoring to escape through the open doorway, until Emma gently shook Maribel awake by placing her hands on Maribel’s side and shoulder.

“What, time is it!” Maribel exclaimed in a panic as she bolted upward to find Emma sitting beside her, wearing nothing but her nightgown and a motherly smile.

“Good morning, sleepyhead,” Emma said warmly as she quickly stood while helping Maribel to her feet. “Come on, I made breakfast,” Emma said while guiding Maribel out of the bedroom and over to the bathroom that was beside her bedroom. “Come join me at the table once you're done,” Emma whispered while quietly returning to the table after retrieving her work phone from her own bedroom. “I wonder if that meeting is still going to happen today?” Emma thought to herself as she instinctively began to open her emails, when suddenly she became aware of Maribel’s presence as she quietly sat at the table across from where she was sitting. “How did you sleep?” Emma asked without looking up from the screen in her hand.

“Fine, I guess,” Maribel said with a loud yawn as she began to slowly cut into her stack of pancakes with her fork. “Hey Emma, could you get me some milk?” Maribel said as she placed a large bite of pancakes in her mouth, followed by a bite of crispy bacon lightly glazed in maple syrup.

“Sure,” Emma said without thinking, realizing that she wouldn’t mind a bit of milk herself, but before she got from her chair, a playful voice in the back of her head whispered quietly, causing Emma to stifle a small laugh as she continued eating. “Caretaker Mari,” Emma said with a widening smile, causing Maribel to glance up at her blankly. “May I please have some milk?” Emma asked while clasping her hands in front of her.

“Oh,” Maribel said simply as a small light bulb turned on from within her mind, causing her demeanor to quickly begin to shift as she began to sit upright. “Oh, that’s right,” Maribel said quickly while rising from her chair to fetch the milk from the refrigerator. “Yes, here is some milk for you,” Maribel said while filling Emma’s cup before finally filling her own. “And some milk for me,” She said with the faintest of smiles before placing the cap back on the milk and setting it on the table between them.

“Thank you, Caretaker Mari,” Emma said with a playful smile as she reached for her cup and began to take several small sips of milk before returning to her food.

“Please don’t call me that all week,” Maribel said with a laugh as she finished her last piece of bacon.

“Well, then what am I supposed to call you?” Emma asked with a curious tilt of her head while Maribel finished her last bite of pancakes.

“I don’t know, something a child would say?” Maribel said while collecting their dirty dishes into a small pile in front of her before standing to take them to the kitchen sink.

“Fine, thank you, Mama,” Emma said with a smile, causing Maribel to shrug her shoulders as she began rinsing off the stack of dishes before placing them into the dishwasher.

“I suppose that sounds about right for what we’ll be doing,” Maribel said with a smile as she continued to clean up the kitchen, giving Emma an opportunity to leisurely read through several emails that she had already received that morning. “Alright, then just call me Mama until the end of the week,” Maribel said loudly enough for Emma to momentarily break her gaze from the phone in her hand. “Now, why don’t you go get cozy in the living room, and I’ll go grab a few things to help us get started,” Maribel said while guiding Emma from her kitchen chair to the sofa.

“Whatever you say, Mama,” Emma said while lazily laying her head against a pillow behind her before pulling a nearby blanket over her waist and legs, while Maribel slipped away into the bedroom for a significantly longer amount of time than Emma had been expecting. “Hey Mari,” Emma said aloud as she began to look around the living room, causing her to realize that placed on each corner of the coffee table beside her was a thick bit of white foam padding covering every corner. “When did she find time to do this?” Emma thought to herself, recalling that Maribel had gone to sleep before she had last night. “I guess she did it while I was asleep,” Emma mumbled to herself when suddenly Maribel made her way back into the living room carrying what she could only describe as a large metallic container.

“Sorry to keep you waiting,” Maribel said with a bright smile as she set the container down on the coffee table in front of Emma before quickly taking a seat beside Emma just as she began to sit upright, looking directly at Maribel as she did.

“It’s fine,” Emma said with a curious look on her face as she stared at the container with mild uncertainty. “I guess you’ve been busy the past few weeks?” Emma said while directing her gaze at the white foam padding on the coffee table, and the additional padding that she now noticed covering the corners of the wooden entertainment center across the room.

“That is the understatement of the century,” Maribel said with a bright smile as she stood while opening the container she had carried into the room just enough to grab a wooden clipboard and an elegant black pen. “So, would you like to use the bathroom or anything before we get started?” Maribel asked while glancing down at the clipboard in her hands.

“No, I used the bathroom after I got up, so I’m fine for now,” Emma said reflexively as she set her phone down in her lap.

“Very good,” Emma said with a nod of her head while clearing her throat loudly. “So, as you know, the purpose of this week is to study the potential benefits of extended age regression therapy on individuals such as yourself,” Maribel said while glancing at Emma, who nodded in acknowledgment. “Which is why, before we start, I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for doing this,” Maribel said while giving Emma a big hug after flipping her clipboard over to prevent Emma from reading any of the information it contained.

“You’re very welcome,” Emma said with a warm smile as Maribel quietly stood up while looking her directly in the eyes. “However, as grateful as I am I must stress that once we begin this study, it will continue to the very end unless there is an extenuating circumstance that will force us to stop, such as a medical emergency or fire,” Maribel said with a quick glance upward to Emma before she continued reading. “This means that for the next seven days you will be treated as and expected to act like a child no older than two years old,” Maribel said while pausing for several moments. “Are you still alright with going through with this, Emma?” Maribel asked without uttering another word.

“Yes, I am still fine with proceeding, but I have to admit that’s a little bit younger than I had imagined,” Emma said while Maribel nodded her head quietly as if she had expected such a response.

“The age that I have selected is the middle ground between being an infant and being a toddler,” Maribel said in a matter-of-fact tone while flipping to the next page on her clipboard. “In the future if I am to perform a study like this on more candidates, I will most likely have groups divided up into various age groups to better study the differences that may arise when having an individual act as one age instead of another,” Maribel stated in a way that let Emma know she must have been rehearsing her answers prior to today. “Now, if you do not have any additional questions and are ready to begin, please collect for me your purse, keys, cellphone, work phone, and your laptop,” Maribel said while holding her hand out for the phone in Emma’s lap.

“I should have seen this coming,” Emma said while handing her work phone to Maribel before getting up to retrieve each of the other items Maribel had requested.

“Set those on the sofa beside you for now, and please ensure that they are all powered off,” Maribel said while watching Emma go through each device to ensure they were not powered on. “Great job!” Maribel shouted enthusiastically as she moved to the other side of the coffee table and rotated the box to allow her to open it entirely without revealing the contents.

“Thanks,” Emma said with a small smile as she watched Maribel’s hands closely as she looked down at her sitting on the sofa.

“Next, please remove all of your clothing, and place each of the removed items on top of your discarded items,” Maribel instructed as Emma slowly rose to her feet, and dropped her nightgown and panties to the ground before placing them neatly on top of her things.

“Very good,” Maribel said while walking behind the sofa, and retrieved a changing mat that Emma had not noticed until now. “Now, please come over here and lie down on this,” Maribel said while spreading the changing mat onto the floor and grabbing several items from the box on the coffee table.

“Well, I knew this moment would come sooner or later,” Emma thought to herself as she slowly moved from the sofa to the cool, soft surface of the changing mat on the floor while Maribel began guiding her into a lying position with her gentle yet strong hands.

“Alright, I know this probably feels uncomfortable now, but after a couple of changes, it shouldn’t feel any different than lying on any other piece of furniture,” Maribel said while unfolding a large white diaper that was decorated with several teddy bears, with one bear placed on the back below boldly printed lettering, while making a scrunchy face.

“Potty pants,” Emma said with a smile as Maribel placed a finger over her lips, beckoning Emma to be quiet.

“It will be difficult for you not to, but please try to remember that most two-year-old children are not able to read or write,” Maribel said while smiling brightly as she too began to look at the diaper. “But you are right this is definitely cute,” Maribel said while having Emma raise her butt off of the changing mat before sliding the diaper beneath her, and quickly applying several globs of baby oil and baby powder that smell distinctly of lavender and chamomile before having Maribel place her but down on the soft cushiony surface of the diaper beneath her as it crinkled loudly beneath her weight. “You are doing wonderful,” Maribel said happily as she began to close the diaper snugly around Emma’s waist. “Does that feel too tight?” Maribel asked Emma while unfolding a pink article of clothing that Emma couldn’t quite identify in her hands.

“No, it’s alright,” Emma said quietly as Maribel nodded her head in acknowledgment and began to help her into a sitting position while positioning the pink garment over her head.

“Happy to hear it,” Maribel said while pushing Emma’s head through the tight opening in the garment before guiding each of Emma’s arms through their holes as well. “Just relax and let Mama do this for you,” Maribel said in such a naturally parental tone that it caught Emma completely off guard. “There, now let’s lie back down,” Maribel said while helping Emma slowly back down to her back, causing the bulky padding between Emma’s legs to crinkle noisily. “We’re almost done,” Maribel said while reaching for the fabric of the pink garment she was wearing before she wrapped it up tightly over the front of her diaper, before buttoning it shut. “Oh, that’s such a cute look on you,” Maribel said while tickling Emma’s stomach playfully through the soft fabric on her stomach. “Next up,” Maribel said while producing a set of mittens and booties from beside her. “Let’s cover your little feet and your tiny little hands,” Maribel said while tying a snow white pair of booties and mittens onto each of Emma’s feet and hands.

“Whoa, those are a bit tight, and I can’t really move my toes or fingers,” Emma said while Maribel merely nodded her head in agreement.

“Yup, that’s the point of putting them on,” Maribel said plainly while helping Emma into a sitting position on the thick padding of her diaper, which caused the faint smell of baby powder to tickle Emma’s nostrils, causing her to sneeze. “Bless you, little one,” Maribel exclaimed while gathering Emma’s hair into a neat bun behind her head before placing a bright pink bonnet over her hair and tying the bonnet closed. “Too tight?” Maribel asked while looking directly into Emma’s eyes.

“No,” Emma said simply as she began to feel as if she had butterflies flying around inside her stomach. “Where the heck did she even get all of this stuff?” Emma thought as Maribel began to tie a bright pink bib that said “Mommy’s Princess” around her neck.

“Oh, when did such an adorable baby girl get here?” Maribel exclaimed while standing up to grab her mobile phone before kneeling down in front of Maribel, who flailed her arms wildly.

“Hey, don’t take my picture!” Emma exclaimed loudly as a bright flash filled her eyes from Maribel’s phone.

“Hush, babies don’t complain when they get their picture taken,” Maribel said while reaching into the box before returning with the largest pacifier Emma had ever seen. “Here, suckle on this for a few minutes until you calm down,” Maribel said while shoving the pacifier into Emma’s mouth before she could say anything else.

“This thing feels weird,” Emma thought to herself as her tongue explored the smooth, rubbery surface of the foreign object in her mouth until she began to suckle on it a few times to see how it felt. “I guess it's not so bad, but I don’t really get how these are helpful,” Emma thought to herself as she recalled all the times she had given Maribel a pacifier in an attempt to calm her down during emotional outbursts.

“Oh, you are doing so wonderfully!” Maribel exclaimed as she took another picture before she joined Emma on the floor with her legs crossed, holding her clipboard firmly in her hands.

“So, on a scale of one to ten, how comfortable are you feeling right now?” Maribel asked while holding her fingers up in front of her. “One is very uncomfortable and ten is very comfortable,” Emma said while adjusting the number of fingers she was holding up.

“I guess I do feel kind of weird,” Emma thought to herself as she held up five fingers, prompting Emma to write on her clipboard.

“That’s perfectly understandable, and I hope that as the week progresses the unease you are feeling diminishes until he are completely comfortable,” Maribel said enthusiastically as she stood up once more, and quickly placed each of the items Emma had collected into the box on the coffee table before locking it shut with a large silver padlock that made a shiver run down her spine as it clicked shut. “Don’t move, little one,” Maribel said while glancing down at Emma as she quietly watched Maribel carry the box containing Emma’s possessions into her room before returning to the living room carrying several brightly colored pieces of wood that had been covered in white mesh.

“What’s that?” Emma asked around the bulb of the pacifier in her mouth while Maribel quickly laid the stack on the floor in front of Emma.

“Oh, I think you’ll figure it out very soon,” Maribel said while taking two of the wooden pieces and pushing them together until there was a loud clicking sound. “Perfect,” Maribel said while moving the two pieces to the center of the living room, allowing Emma to see that they had been locked together. “Now, we just need to do the rest,” Maribel said while interlocking one piece at a time until all of the pieces were connected together, forming a large ring.

“Oh, a playpen,” Emma mumbled as Maribel swung a small opening in the side of the playpen open before turning to Emma with a bright smile.

“Come, little one,” Maribel said while walking over to Emma’s side before squatting down beside her. “Crawl inside the playpen for me like a good girl,” Maribel whispered into Emma’s ear, prompting Emma to attempt to stand, when suddenly Maribel placed her hand on her shoulder. “No, I want you to start crawling since two-year-old children are not always the most graceful on their feet,” Maribel said while getting onto her own hands and knees before she began to crawl into the playpen. “Come on, Emma, follow Mama inside!” She exclaimed loudly while glancing back over her shoulder to ensure that Emma was crawling into the playpen with her.

“This hurts my knees,” Emma whined as she sat beside Maribel in the center of the playpen.

“Naturally,” Maribel said while standing upright, and walking out of the playpen while closing it shut tightly behind her. “Since you don’t typically crawl around your knees are no longer accustomed to the sensation, and that results in the discomfort you were feeling,” Maribel said while turning on the television position just above Emma on the entertainment center revealing that the television had already been changed to the Disney Jr. “But don’t worry that discomfort will slowly fade the more you crawl around,” Maribel said with a smile as she set the remote down on the coffee table before turning to leave the living room once more. “Sit tight for just a few minutes, and I’ll be back with a little surprise for you,” Maribel said while running back to her bedroom with nothing but the television to keep Emma company.

“Well, this isn’t so bad,” Emma thought to herself as she turned to find that a show about a little girl pretending to be a doctor who fixes toys came on the screen. “Wow, I don’t think they had anything quite like this when I was growing up,” Emma thought to herself as she scooted closer to the television, causing the padding to squish playfully beneath her bottom while crinkling loudly when suddenly Emma felt a twinge of pain that made Emma’s eyes grow wide. “I need to use the bathroom,” Emma thought to herself as she instinctively began to stand just as Maribel was coming back into the room carrying a sizable cardboard box in her arms.

“Hey, little one, please sit back down before you fall!” Maribel shouted while quickly dropping the box to the floor, causing a loud rattle of plastic from within the box just as Maribel stepped into the playpen, and gently helped Emma sit back down on the floor. “I know this will be an adjustment for you, but please try to stand unless I’m here to help you,” Maribel said while gently adjusting the bonnet on Emma’s head to tuck a strand of hair back beneath its cotton surface before gently placing her hand on the front of Emma’s diaper. “Still dry,” Maribel said in a matter-of-fact tone that echoed playfully in Emma’s ears.

“I’m still dry,” Emma muttered to herself as Maribel stood to retrieve the cardboard box she had been carrying. “But for how long?” She wondered to herself just as Maribel gently placed the large box down beside Emma before sitting on the floor once more. “What have I gotten myself into?” Emma thought to herself with a sigh while Maribel began to excitedly dig through the box in front of her, seemingly unaware of the growing discomfort that was quickly building between Emma’s legs.

Part: 4

Scattered all around Emma was a plethora of toys that had been haphazardly placed around the perimeter of the playpen she currently found herself in, while quietly building a block tower with the variety of colorfully painted wooden cubes in an attempt to distract herself from the distress she felt between her legs.

“How am I supposed to go in this?” Emma thought with a furrow of her eyebrows as she quietly glanced down at the padding between her legs. “Why can’t I just go?” She thought in frustration as she slowly climbed to her feet once more in an attempt to put herself in a position that would make it easier for her to relieve the pressure she could feel building. “It shouldn’t be this hard to wet your pants,” Emma muttered under her breath while Maribel quietly approached her from behind, carrying a fresh bottle filled with milk.

“Something wrong, Baby Emma?” Maribel asked with a curious smile as she stepped over the perimeter of the playpen to join Emma, where she currently stood. “It doesn’t look like you’ve wet yet, so maybe you’re getting a little hungry,” Maribel whispered with a smile as she gently took Emma’s hand and led her to a space along the edge of the playpen with several large, fluffy pillows and blankets. “Come lie with me here, and drink this,” Maribel said while gently pulling Emma down until she was lying comfortably across Maribel’s lap.

“But I’m not thirsty, and I really need to go to the bathroom,” Emma said in a pleading voice just as Maribel removed her pacifier from her mouth. “Please, my bladder is screaming and my stomach is starting to hurt,” Emma whimpered as her cheeks began to turn crimson red from the embarrassment of her confession.

“Now, there is nothing to worry about, Baby Emma,” Maribel whispered while gently stroking Emma’s hair with her fingers. “You’re body knows when it needs to go potty, and if you relax, your body will do all of the work for you,” Maribel said simply while gently sliding the nipple of the bottle into Emma’s mouth. “Now, while you drink this, just close your eyes and take deep cleansing breaths,” Maribel whispered while closing her eyes and gently placing one of her hands on top of Emma’s stomach.

“I’ve been trying to relax ever since you put me in this thing,” Emma fumed as she began to suckle the rich, creamy milk from the bottle while slowly closing her eyes. “This is so stupid,” Emma thought as she could feel her bladder pleading with her to stop with each gulp of milk she took. “The pain isn’t going away!” Emma shouted as she yanked her mouth away from the nipple of the bottle with a quick turn of her head, causing milk to dribble onto her face and bib. “Maybe if you let me sit on the toilet that would help me go,” Emma offered to Maribel pleadingly as Maribel began to use the material of Emma’s bib to clean the spilled milk off of her face.

“It might help in the short term, but in the long run it wouldn’t be any different than just using the potty,” Maribel said in a calm, calculated tone. “Which would ultimately invalidate our study,” She continued while guiding the nipple of the bottle back into Emma’s mouth. “So, for me, please try to relax, and trust that I know what I’m talking about,” Maribel whispered while closing her eyes once more.

“I’ll relax when my bladder doesn’t feel like it’s going to explode!” Emma shrieked inside her mind. She angrily glared at her sister, sitting calmly with her eyes closed while pressing the new source of her frustration into her mouth. “Just go to the bathroom already!” Emma commanded while thrashing her hips up and down frantically for several seconds before she finally gave up. “Why does it feel like I’m being punished?” Emma thought to herself as tears of frustration began to form in her eyes, as she bitterly suckled from the bottle while closing her eyes tightly as a sudden wave of pain forced Emma’s eyes wide open, causing her to choke violently.

“Hey, slow down!” Maribel shouted as she began to help Emma into a sitting position while Emma began to cough violently.

“How am I supposed to be calm when,” Emma began to shout, when her words quickly faded into silence as the front of Emma’s diaper began to swell and expand as a rush of warmth consumed the once dry padding of Emma’s diaper until it was nothing more than a mound of mush.

“Feel better?” Maribel asked with a knowing smile as she began to gently rub Emma’s back with the palm of her hand.

“I, uh, yeah, I guess so,” Emma managed to say as she slowly brought her hand down on the front of her diaper and gave it a gentle squeeze, causing her diaper to leak slightly.

“Oh, it looks like someone really had to go,” Maribel said with a bright smile as she began to pull Emma back into a lying position. “We’ll get you changed into a fresh diaper after we finish up here,” Maribel whispered while bringing the bottle back to Emma’s lips, but before inserting it, she whispered. “How comfortable are you feeling right now?”

“How comfortable?” Emma thought to herself as her head nestled on top of Maribel’s lap while she looked down at her with a warm, genuine smile that Emma was certain she hadn’t seen Maribel wear in years. “A four,” Emma muttered just before the nipple of the bottle was slipped between her lips. “I should be grossed out, but my diaper is so soft and warm,” Emma thought to herself as she slowly closed her eyes while her lips busily suckled from the soft rubbery nipple resting in her mouth.

“See, I told you this wouldn’t be so bad,” Maribel whispered while gently reaching down to the bottom of Emma’s pink onesie and gently releasing each of the buttons along the opening of her diaper area, exposing the mushy padding of Emma’s diaper. “I can see why you were in so much pain,” Maribel said while looking down at Emma before giving the front of the diaper a gentle squeeze that caused Emma to moan from behind the nipple in her mouth as the padding of the diaper lazily slid across Emma’s freshly shaven skin.

“That felt amazing,” Emma thought as a shiver shot up her back and caused her to shudder as her mind began to playfully imagine what it’d be like to play with the front of her diaper until she was snapped out of her daydream by the nipple of her now empty bottle being removed from her mouth.

“Alright, little one, let’s get you changed into a fresh diaper,” Maribel said with a kind yet authoritative tone that Emma found strangely reassuring.

“Alright,” Emma said just as Maribel pointed to the floor.

“Don’t forget to crawl, cutie,” Maribel said while squatting down in front of Emma and squeezing her cheek gently before placing her pacifier back into her mouth.

“Right,” Emma mumbled as she pulled herself onto her hands and knees, causing the bulky mush that she had been sitting on to collect in the crotch of her diaper, making it feel even thicker than it already was.

“Take your time, precious,” Maribel said while quietly opening the side of the playpen before making her way over to the changing mat setup on the floor.

“It’s not like I can move all that fast like this,” Emma began to say when suddenly the mitten covering her right hand caused her arm to slip out beneath, causing Emma to fall flat on the floor, causing her body to press down against the diaper beneath her with a loud squish. “Damn it,” Emma thought to herself when suddenly she felt the same sensation she had felt when Maribel had squeezed her diaper. “So soft and warm,” Emma mumbled from behind her pacifier until she realized that Maribel was watching her. “I’ll never get used to this,” Emma mumbled loudly as she quickly forced herself back into a crawling position while avoiding Maribel’s knowing gaze.

“Oh, I’m sure you’ll do just fine,” Maribel said with a playful laugh as she helped Emma lie on her back before pulling the front of Emma’s diaper open. “Maybe, even better than I had expected,” She thought as she playfully removed Emma’s diaper.

Part: 5

The weight of her blankets pressed down on Emma’s chest as she stared at the ceiling while trying to ignore the sounds of activity from outside of her bedroom as Maribel busily moved from room to room baby proofing their apartment to create a as she said “More immersive atmosphere,” Emma thought as her sister’s words happily bounced around her head causing Emma to cover her face with her mitten covered hands. “This is a bit more than I expected,” Emma thought as her face started to warm slightly beneath the soft material of her mittens. “I knew she’d take this week seriously, but I never expected she would have been this prepared for it,” Emma whispered as she turned on her side, causing the padding of her diaper to squish between her thighs while she absently stared at the new railing Maribel had installed along the side of her bed. “Might as well try to go to sleep,” Emma sighed while rolling onto her back, pulling her blanket snugly over her chest before picking up the pacifier that had been lying beside her.

“So, this is going to help me sleep?” Emma thought to herself as she slipped the nipple of the pacifier between her lips before she began to suckle gently on the pacifier, causing a rhythmic suckling sound to be heard throughout her bedroom. “Just grin and bear it for the week,” Emma muttered behind her pacifier as she slowly closed her eyes and began taking deep, slow breaths, causing her muscles to relax and her thoughts to slow until finally her eyelids slid closed, allowing Emma to fall into a deep sleep.

The next morning, Emma awoke to the sound of what sounded like rain pelting the windows, but as her eyes adjusted to the light of the morning, she found that the sound looked to be coming from a circular white speaker that had been placed on her bedside with a smartly printed label that Emma groggily read to herself with a raised eyebrow. “Baby Tech Solutions,” Emma said, sighing loudly and lying flat on her back, when suddenly her stomach began to rumble violently as it began to cramp, causing Emma to wrap her arms tightly across her stomach. “Crap,” Emma thought to herself as she could feel her body telling her that she needed to relieve more than just the dull pressure she could feel coming from her bladder this morning. “I need to go to the bathroom,” Emma thought in a panic as she attempted to throw her legs over the side of her bed when suddenly she felt a stern pull against one of her ankles followed by the gentle jingle of a delicately crafted metal chain that instantly reminded Emma of what Maribel had placed a set of sturdy handcuffs around her ankle and bed frame to keep her from getting up in the middle of the night without Maribel’s help.

“Why didn’t I refuse?” Emma thought to herself as her body squirmed and her arms wrapped helplessly around her sides before she took a deep breath, and began to push as hard as she could, causing a low moan to escape into the back of her diaper. “Just don’t think about it,” Emma pleaded with herself as a pungent aroma began to linger in the air just as Emma took another deep breath before pushing again, this time causing the pressure she had been feeling inside her to begin to slither closer to the padding of her diaper. “This is so gross,” Emma moaned when finally she could feel something within her begin to break loose as the back of her diaper started to become more pronounced beneath her, causing a warm mass to begin to smear her entire backside in warm mush before quickly climbing up the warm padding between Emma’s thighs.

“I can’t believe I just did that,” Emma thought to herself before she began to relax once more, allowing a steady flow of urine to pour into her diaper, mixing with the warm stool beneath her, causing the inside of her diaper to become surprisingly slick. “It’s just like before,” Emma thought to herself as she recalled the last time she had wet her diaper while Maribel watched her intently from outside the playpen. “It’s so warm,” Emma muttered to herself as she slowly placed the palms of her hands along the swollen padding of the diaper while firmly sliding her hands along the warm material, causing her eyes to shut tightly, her face to become warm, and her heart rate to quicken along with each motion of her hips and hands.

“This is so wrong, but I can’t help it,” Emma whispered to herself before a moan escaped from her lips, causing her eyes to open to glance at her bedroom door. “I don’t want her to hear me,” Emma thought as she flirted with the idea of stopping when, suddenly, she spotted her pacifier lying in the spot it had landed after falling from Emma’s mouth while she slept the night prior. “Looks like you might actually be useful after all,” Emma thought with a playful smile as she quickly pushed the infantile object firmly against her lips while squeezing the soft nipple firmly between her teeth. “Just a little more,” Emma moaned around the pacifier as she planted the bottom of her feet firmly on her mattress and began thrusting her hips up and down against the palms of her hand, causing a loud squelching sound to call out each time her butt landed back on the warm mound of mush in the back of her diaper. “Don’t think about it,” Emma pleaded loudly as she attempted to silence the voice she could hear in her mind calling to her as the tension beneath the padding of her diapers continued to build with each and every movement of her hips until finally her legs collapsed out from beneath her no longer able to hold her wait as an intense wave of warmth washed over Emma’s body causing Emma to moan loudly through the material of her pacifier before her hands and arms collapsed on to the soft mattress surrounding Emma as she continued to enjoy the euphoric sensation that now consumed her. “That felt more intense than normal?” Emma thought to herself as she slowly started to become aware of the world around her once more.

“Emma, are you alright?” The voice called out, causing a shiver to run up Emma’s spine as she slowly turned her head towards her nightstand. She finally realized that the voice was coming from the speaker beside her.

“Oh, my god, that isn’t a speaker,” Emma thought in a panic as she heard the door to her bedroom being quickly opened. “That’s a baby monitor,” Emma whispered in disbelief as Maribel made her way into the room while waving her hand in front of her face.

“Well, I guess this smell certainly explains what all the commotion was about,” Maribel said with a surprised look on her face. “Let’s get you changed into a clean diaper.” Maribel said while placing the back of her hand on Emma’s forehead. “Are you feeling alright, Emma?” Maribel asked with a concerned look on her face while Emma tried her best to calm her breathing and heart rate. “We’d better take your temperature after your diaper change,” Maribel said while removing the handcuff from Emma’s ankle before sliding the makeshift railing alongside Emma’s bed down to make it easier for Emma to get out of bed.