Chapter Twenty-Two

Sure enough, Dani's phone went to an Italian restaurant in Santa Clara. She was apparently good at predicting Julian, but bad about being honest with her feelings. And I wagered that he couldn't tell.

I could tell.

I could tell when Dani was going along with something, as compared to when she was genuinely pleased by it. She had a wiggle, a dance, a joy that couldn't be physically contained. She was delightful and I missed her already. I sighed, streaming the location feed to the television. It was stupid to watch her sit in place, to just watch a dot on a map that wasn't moving as I imagined her suffering through a meal she didn't enjoy with a man who would never understand her true nature?

How could he? He was a vanilla.

I had watched his show - know thy enemy - and he was a generally nice, pleasant person who played mostly digital card games. But he screamed male privilege - sitting there in his chat room joking about the cards without being hounded by countless fans to "show off the goods."

I took a deep, cleansing breath - there was no sense in being bitter. I was more irritated that she was out to dinner with him than anything else, when she should be here with me.

Doing the right thing was hard.

I ended the tracking signal and dialed up Seth instead, needing to take my mind off of Dani.

Apparently, Seth kept his set on auto-answer as well, it rang for a moment as it connected and I was greeted with the image of Jess' back - she was wearing nothing but a pink diaper, her head thrown back and moaning like a banshee as she sat in Seth's lap, grinding on him and apparently a Hitachi wand at the same time.

Unfortunately, before I could disconnect, Seth noticed me.

"Um, hi Vanessa," he waved around her.

"Ohmygod," Jess screeched, diving under the coffee table. I couldn't help it, I burst out laughing, covering my face with my hands. "Nessa? Are you... laughing?" Her head poked up from underneath the coffee table, her blue eyes peering with the rest of her face hidden. I only laughed harder.

"There's a sound I haven't heard in a while," Seth began laughing as well, flipping off the Hitachi and pulling a blanket off the back of the couch and tossing it to his Little. "I assume Dani isn't home?"

"Thankfully no," I managed after I got my guffaws under control - I needed that. "We should probably both take our vidchats off of auto-answer, huh?"

"Yeah probably," Seth chuckled, reaching down and pulling a very blushy, blanket-wrapped Jess into his lap. "It's okay Cupcake, you don't have anything Vanessa hasn't seen, and Dani isn't there."

"Hi Nessa," she squeaked, grabbing a stuffed tiger from the couch and holding it close, covering her chest. She was pleasing to look at and honestly, after all the bratting I had put up with from her, I was enjoying the show. "I like your laugh."

"Look how cute she is," I teased, bringing even more color to her cheeks, "Are you wet yet, little girl?"

"Nessaaaa," she squirmed, burying her face in the stuffed animal before peeking around it. "You didn't tell me Dani was pretty."

"Pretty sure I did," I smirked, relaxing on the couch.

"Not that pretty, Nessa - she's really, really pretty. Much prettier than- "

"Cupcake," Seth cut her off.

"Is it fun living with her?" Jess recovered.

"It is," I smiled a warm, genuine smile. It really was - Dani was a great roommate and having her around was amazing.

"So," she grinned, "How long before she's in diapers and I can play with her?"

"Cupcake!" Seth groaned, flipping the woman over his lap until she was face down, hanging halfway off the couch and laughing like a loon.

"I'll let you two get back to it," I rolled my eyes and disconnected the call. I wanted more than anything to be able to play with Dani that way, to grab her and hold her and for her to be vulnerable with me the way Jess was for Seth. I sighed softly, the smile still on my lips as I checked my phone - she was still at the restaurant.

It was going to be a long wait.

* * *

I checked my phone nervously. I had left Vanessa eight text messages and two voicemails, but she wasn't answering.

And I was scared.

Not in the fun way - actually scared. Aubrey was taking the Little game far too seriously, and bleeding after a spanking was terrifying. I was honestly afraid of disobeying her at this point and it wasn't fun any more. I wanted some time out of the diapers, some time to just go out and party... it felt like all my time was spent either at work or doing chores around the apartment.

Sure, it had never been this clean before - even I could admit that, but what was the cost?

I soaked in the bathtub, the warm water soothing my bruised backside - the bruises were pretty bad on the backs of my thighs and my butt. I almost cried when I saw them in the mirror. I had fantasized once or twice about Aubrey being my mommy before, but now that she had... I didn't want it. I wanted Vanessa more than ever - sweet, kind Vanessa who always listened to safewords and always cared about how I felt.

Vanessa had given me some pretty intense spankings, she had made me bleed before, but when it was over she always soothed me. She always whispered to me that it was done, that she still loved me... she cleaned up my ouchies and rubbed lotion on me and made me a hot cocoa. Cocoa always made me think of Vanessa.. so did the cocoa-scented soap that sat next to the tube.

I needed Vanessa more than ever but I couldn't reach her. I just had to keep hoping that she'd listen to the messages, that she'd hear me and come help. I didn't know what else to do... there was no way I could ask Aubrey to call Vanessa for me.

Maybe if I can get a hold of her phone, I pondered, then I could message her to call me...

My blood froze as I heard her key in the door, heard her walk through the apartment. I sank deeper in the water, wincing as the movement caused the bruises to hurt again as the warm water swirled around me.

"Kailee?" she called. I winced. Did I remember to close the kitchen cabinets? Did I remember to put a new bag in the garbage can? Aubrey had bought a new paddle on Amazon after her wooden spoon broke during a spanking - the new one was silicon and it hurt.

"Here Nanny," I responded, hoping she decided not to come into the bathroom...

"I expect you to be diapered immediately after your bath," she said from the doorway, looking down on me.

"My bottom hurts, nanny," I whimpered. "Please can I just wear panties for a while?"

"No no, little puddle pants," she teased. I couldn't help feeling a rise from her words, I hated how much I wanted to be taunted this way, how good it felt even though it really shouldn't. "You have had a wet diaper every day for two weeks, there's no way you're getting out of them tonight. And if you don't want your bottom to hurt, just do your chores."

"Yes Nanny," I agreed meekly.

"Did you order yourself another case of diapers? We don't want you to run out, after all."

"No Nanny," I whimpered. "I haven't gotten paid yet and- "

"Diapers will be your first purchase from that check, do you understand me?" I jolted upright in the bath as I heard the sound of the silicon paddle slap into her open palm. "You're not going without them for quite a while."

"Yes Nanny," I squeaked. "Please don't spank me, my bottom hurts... "

"Then don't give me a reason," she retorted before leaving the doorway.

I sank back into the bath... realizing that I had gotten exactly what I wanted, and now I didn't want it.

* * *

I marveled at the clean apartment - the countertops were clean, the garbage was taken out, the dishes were put away. I'd been rooming with Kailee for years and it had never been this nice. The laundry was all put away - I even had her doing my laundry now. Though I confiscated every pair of panties she owned as I found them. I had her wearing her diapers under her work clothes now. She got exactly what she wanted - a stern nanny who made her behave and made her dependent upon diapers.

And man, she went through a lot of diapers, especially since I made her use them for everything except crapping.

Although, I bet she would enjoy it if I changed that rule. I decided to give it more thought later. For now I just relaxed for a moment, enjoying how very open the apartment felt when it was clean. Everything was aces for me, Benny had kept his job, I had my own personal slave who wanted to be paid in spankings, and even though it was a little draining, Kailee was becoming a better person.

Maybe next week, I thought, I'll let her out of diapers - she keeps asking to stop, but I'm pretty sure it's just because she wants me to make her wear them. Oh, I know - at the end of next week, I'll revoke all of her toilet privileges and then the following Monday, I'll give her what she's asking for. I'll let her out of diapers then, but if she wants back in them, she's never getting out of them again.

It sounded like a good plan.

* * *

When Dani came home, I knew something was wrong immediately. Her step had no spring to it, and she hung a small black leather purse on the hook by the door.

Pretending not to notice, I slid over to the entryway with a small, rectangular plate in hand.

"Hey there, sweet girl," I said gently, holding the plate out. "I didn't think you'd be very hungry, but I thought I'd grab this for you." Arranged on the plate was the most ridiculous roll I could order from the nearby sushi restaurant - six pieces comprised of cooked shrimp and crab meat, topped with salmon and peanuts of all things, in a cream cheese frosting. It looked horrible to me, but it brought a smile to her face... a sad smile.

"You got me a roll?" she asked with her wistful smile, "Oh, is this the Apple Jack? Thanks, Vanessa... I really wanted to try this one."

I led her around the couch and guided her gently to a sitting position as she popped the first piece in her mouth.

"Mmm, it's still warm," she said as a grin spread slowly across her face and her eyes rolled back a little. I had obviously chosen well, at least - it was still warm because I had been tracking her position and I knew exactly when she would reach the apartment. I held a glass of ice water for her while she ate the sushi, offering the straw to her lips when it looked like she might want a drink and dabbing at her chin when she dribbled some of the icing.

She finished the roll with a contented sigh, setting the plate gently on the coffee table and taking the water. I decided it was a good time to broach the subject.

"Where's Forrest?" I asked gently, "Did he run off chasing a lady-squirrel?"

"No," she smiled, amused. But it faded quickly. "He's in the car... I moved all my stuff into the new purse that Julian got me today. Isn't it nice?" She was trying very hard, but I was frustrated on her behalf.

"Is it what you want?" I kept my tone smooth and even, non-judgmental and non-threatening.

"Yes," she lied. I could see it on her face, in her body language.

"It's okay if you don't," I nudged, "It's okay to like your squirrel-purse, it's okay to like cute things."

"But it's not, Vanessa," her emotions spilled over and she crumpled, tears streaming down her face. "It's not. Everyone wants me to move on, to grow up. Julian... Julian bought me this new purse to help. It was very kind of him."

I couldn't take it any more. As her breathing became more erratic, as she worked hard to fight the tears, I reached over and pulled her into my lap, wrapping my arms around her and holding her tightly.

"I can't agree," I whispered. "Because it hurts you, and anything that hurts you doesn't seem very kind."

"It's just a stupid purse," she choked back a sob.

"It's so much more," I countered. "It's your innocence, it's your joy. It's your childlike wonder. These are the things that drew me to you, these are the things that mean 'Dani' to me. Not some high-powered project manager, a compassionate soul who cares about the feelings of others and wants to express herself in cute ways. It's not just a stupid purse. Forrest is your friend." She broke down in earnest at this, sobbing into my shoulder as I rocked her gently.

"I need to put away childish things," she said when she was finally calm again.

"Not if they make you happy," I replied, giving her a squeeze. "If they make you happy, I think you need more childish things. More stuffed animals, more cuteness and wonder."

"That sounds nice," she sniffled. "Thanks Vanessa, you make me feel happy."

I squeezed her again, holding her close.

"I hope I make you feel little and protected," I whispered, laying the bare truth down for just a moment.

"You do," she agreed. "And it's nice."