Fara perused the selection of toys at the stall they had stopped at. All of them were handmade and very simple but also very cute. She playfully blew into a train whistle that was carved to look like a train and giggled. Rachel was playing with a knitted ice cream cone that had a rattle in it.

“Cute,” she remarked giving the thing a shake. “May need it later don’t you think?”

“That’s still a ways away,” Sarah said offhandedly as she played around with a ball and cup toy struggling to get the ball into the cup.

“How much longer do you think?” Rachel put the rattle away.

“Should be soon I think.”

“Should be soon til what?” Tara had nosed her way into the conversation.

“Until Fara feels a sudden urge to go to the bathroom,” Sarah whispered. Tara saw Fara take a drink from her sippy cup and started to put two and two together.

“Have you two been poisoning her?”

“Poisoning would imply we’re trying to kill her dear,” Rachel clarified. “We just need to help hurry some processes along. Once we have accomplished our goal of course we will get her on a more regular diet.”

“So you mean she’s gonna...”

“That’s the idea. We need one final push to get her out of pull-ups and into something more age appropriate. This will do the trick.”

“I see. Makes sense. Is she really going to though? Seems like a long shot.”

“We’ll have to see won’t we?” They watched as Fara hunched over a little with a sudden stomach cramp. It was an unfamiliar and unexpected feeling. She brushed it off though and continued looking.

“Find anything you’d like dear?” Rachel approached Fara.

“Not really but it is all pretty cute stuff,” Fara picked up a wooden noise maker.

“Well you should pick something out, as a souvenir.”

“Yeah maybe,” Fara looked around for something suitable. She glanced at a stuffed animal resembling a cross between a cat and a rabbit. “What about this guy.”

“It’s cute, suits you.” Rachel grabbed the stuffed animal and made her way to the register. “Come along.”

“Oh you don’t have to buy that for me.”

“Nonsense. I know you don’t have your wallet anyway. That dress doesn’t have any pockets. How are you planning to pay for it?” Rachel pulled out one of many cards out of her small handbag and began to pay for the toy. Fara felt another pang in her stomach but this one was more immediate and obvious as to what it is.

“Oh Rachel I need to use the restroom,” Fara began to run out but Rachel caught her sleeve.

“Just wait a moment and I can help you.” Fara huffed. Rachel must have thought she needed a change, and she didn’t feel like correcting her in front of the shop keep. Though the shop keep was just as concerned with whatever help Fara might need. As soon as Rachel was handed the receipt Fara tugged her out of the stall. “What is the hurry, surely you don’t need to be changed that badly.”

“I don’t need to be changed I need to …” Fara shot her eyes downward.

“Need to what? I don’t follow you dear.” Fara grimaced and hunched over, for some reason she was having a difficult time holding it in.

“Oh oh right sorry dear. Well let’s make our way to the toilet shall we.” Rachel took Fara’s hand and began a slow walk toward the bathroom they had gone to earlier. Rachel went in ahead to check. “All full it seems. Sorry dear. You can hold it though I’m sure.”

“I’m not,” Fara grunted.

After a few moments a woman walked out of the restroom, and Fara moved to go in after her but she was suddenly cut off by Tara who sprinted by.

“Tara!” Fara moved in after her, beating on the door of the stall she had stolen.

“What Fara?” Tara asked.

“I need to go.”

“What do you mean? Aren’t you wearing a diaper?” Tara asked annoyed.

“No I need to ugh,” Fara had another cramp and before she could register that she needed to hold back she had already lost. She stood still as she began to fill the pull-up in a way she wasn’t used to at all. She let out a small shriek at the unfamiliar feeling and the embarrassment of the situation. She attempted to move but stopped as she felt the unfamiliar mess rub against her. It was hot and sticky. Were it not for the smell of the bathroom that she was in, it would be smelly as well. She gasped again as another woman emerged from a different stall. She gave a look at Fara but aside from her strange pose and outfit didn’t detect anything wrong. Fara was shocked back into movement by Rachel who grabbed her by the shoulder.

“Come on dear let’s get you taken care of,” Rachel said gently.

It was a short but humiliating walk for Fara back to Rachel’s car. The sensation was wholly unpleasant. Walking around spread the mess in her pull-up around even further, but there was nothing she could do about it, she needed to get away from people before she gave herself away with either her demeanor or her smell. Thankfully no one noticed as they made their way to the parking lot, and the parking lot itself was fairly quiet, at least the area Rachel had parked in.

“Ok let’s get to work,” Rachel said as the two approached her car. She opened the hatchback and gestured to the inside. “Lie down.” Fara meekly obeyed giving a loud shriek as she sat in the mess. “I know I know,” Rachel was in full mothering mode for this moment. “Hold your dress up and lie back. Just let me take care of it.” Fara obeyed lying back in the hatchback of Rachel’s car. It was surprisingly roomy and she had room to lay down though her legs were dangling out of the car. She couldn’t really see what Rachel was doing since she held the skirt of her dress over her head. She was utterly mortified at the situation, but at this point would do anything to have the mess cleaned off of her. “I have some wipes here I believe. Ah yes here we go.” Rachel remained cheery and positive as she prepared herself for the task ahead. Cleaning messy diapers, much less pull-ups, was not exactly a glamorous task, but it was part of being a mommy, so Rachel would do it happily with a smile.

“I’m so sorry Rachel,” Fara whimpered as Rachel removed the pull-up.

“Don’t worry about it now dear,” Rachel began the process of wiping Fara clean. “We can discuss this later. For now let’s just get you clean.” Fara groaned. She had hoped to just put this event behind her like it never happened and would rather never discuss it again. Rachel quickly finished cleaning Fara up. “There I think I got it all,” Rachel sighed and collected all of the used wipes. Fara leaned up and grimaced at the mound of dirty wipes and pull-up still sitting next to her in the car.

“I’m so sorry Rachel.”

“Its fine dear,” Rachel grabbed the dirty materials and threw them away in a nearby trash bin. “Now let’s get you in a fresh one,” Rachel covered her hands in sanitizer, then went to grab another pull-up from her bag.

“Thank you,” Fara was quiet and still mortified at the whole ordeal. She couldn’t really see the process thanks to holding the dress up over her face, but the thought that her friend was cleaning that mess off of her. Fara was a close as humanly possible to dying from embarrassment.

“I know you’re a bit rattled dear,” Rachel comforted Fara. “Keep in mind that I change Sarah too and she’s been in worse that that I promise. Really it’s not a big deal for me.”

“Not for you maybe,” Fara groaned as the two made their way back to the park.

“Well I’ll give you that would probably have traumatized anyone else, so I guess you’re lucky to have a friend with my particular skillset.” Fara blushed again. “Let’s go find where Sarah ran off to and head out early. I think you could use a nap.” Fara didn’t respond but followed Rachel’s lead as she made her way back to the park. It wasn’t difficult for Rachel to maintain a smile as she made her way through the park. Her future little baby made her first mess, first of many if she would have her way. Fara was in a bit of a daze and didn’t notice much of anything. “Ah I bet she’s in there,” Rachel made her way to a large tent with a pot leaf sign emblazoned proudly on the front. Predictably Patty and Sarah were inside sitting at a small table munching on brownies.

“Ah Colorado,” Patty stated in a happy daze. “Greatest state in the union.”

“I told you you’d get your brownies didn’t I?” Sarah smirked happily.

“Ah how did I know to find you here?” Rachel approached Sarah and Patty, with Fara standing quietly behind her.

“Hello you two. Enjoying the festivities?” Patty giggled.

“I don’t think Patty has left this tent,” Sarah explained.

“Nowhere else I wanna go,” Patty shrugged.

“Well as long as she’s enjoying herself,” Rachel giggled slightly. Sarah took a look at Rachel’s happy demeanor and Fara’s vacant one and could tell that their plan had worked.

“Is Fara wanting to head back?” Sarah asked a coded question.

“Yes, if you don’t mind.” Rachel smiled.

“No problem. I think I’ve seen everything here I needed to anyway,” Sarah stood up from the table she and Patty were sitting at.

“I guess I’ll see you gals later,” Patty said grabbing another bite from her brownie. Rachel and Sarah smiled at each other the whole walk back to the car. This was a big step, one they were going to take advantage of as soon as they got back. Rachel helped Fara into her car seat, and this time Sarah took a seat in the regular passenger seat of the car. Fara didn’t say anything about this, she still seemed to be at a bit of a loss as to what had just happened. Rachel and Sarah doubted Fara would remain this passive when they started to push on this when they got to the cabin, but that was a fight they were prepared for, and one they were confident they could win.