The low ambient noise that Rachel had started playing in the night had the intended effect. Fara’s sleep was restless, more so than the previous night. She hadn’t even really woken up yet, but she could tell that she was tired and irritable. She glared at the shut gate to her bed as if staring at it would somehow make it open. Her diaper was wet, soaked even. Did she wet the bed? She almost didn’t care because of just how grumpy she was. Fara laid back down in her crib like bed. She was pretty confident even the quick sleep of the morning wouldn’t come to her, and she would just have to wait to be let out. She groaned loudly and rattled the door with her foot. The door predictably held firm.

Rachel looked on through the live feed at Fara’s grumpy tantrum.

“Wow that may have worked a little too well,” Rachel gave a bemused smile.

“Grumpy means rebellious,” Sarah reminded. “And a little rebellion is what we need to tighten up on her.”

“Yes Yes I know, and believe me mommy knows how to handle a little girl with a tantrum. I just may have my work cut out for me.” Rachel put the tablet down and moved to free Fara from her bed.

“Good luck,” Sarah called out eager to pick the tablet back up to watch the fireworks.

“Good morning dear,” Rachel sang as she entered Fara’s room with a chipper attitude.

“For you maybe,” Fara shot back quickly. “Let me out of here I need some coffee.”

“Now do you really think coffee is the best thing for someone with bowel incontinence?”

“Bowel what?” Fara was too tired to piece together what Rachel had just said only that she had told her no to coffee. “Whatever ok, just let me out.”

“With that attitude maybe you need to calm down a little before I let you out,” Rachel glared at Fara.

“What? I’m not messing around here Rae just let me out ok.”

“I’m not messing around either. It is not nice to boss people around like that. Especially your friends.” With that Rachel quickly left the room.

“Rachel? Rachel!” Fara called out after her angrily shaking the door to the crib. When she determined Rachel was well and truly gone she fell back into the bedding in defeat.

“She’s so cute,” Sarah squealed as Rachel came back into the room.

“Glad you’re enjoying the show,” Rachel smiled.

“You just missed a full on tantrum. Pouting included.”

“I know, but as cute as it is we can’t give her attention for it. At least not positive attention,” Rachel began to make another of Fara’s bottles, with more muscle relaxant disguised as medicine. The time it would take to mix the concoction would be long enough to give Fara another attempt at getting out of her crib. When she was done Rachel made her way out with a serious expression and entered Fara’s room again. “Are you still having your fit?” Rachel asked Fara with a pout. Fara returned the pout with an even more immature pout. “Well ok I can come back later.”

“No no please,” Fara stopped Rachel. “I’m sorry ok I shouldn’t have yelled at you I just didn’t sleep well.”

“No I think you need to cool off more,” Rachel flashed the bottle of milk. “When I come back here if you can ask me nicely to take your medicine maybe we can let you out.”

“Come on Rachel,” Fara pleaded as Rachel started to leave but she could not stop her, and she was left alone again. Fara sighed and struggled not to throw another fit. It wasn’t fair, but if she wanted out she would need to calm down.

Rachel only waited for about a minute and a half just outside of Fara’s room before entering again. The tactic worked and Fara appeared to be in a much more agreeable mood.

“Is there something you want to ask me Fara?” Rachel said with feigned ignorance.

“Rachel would you pretty please let me out and give me my medicine,” Fara said through gritted teeth. It wasn’t exactly the eager smiley baby girl Rachel had pictured in her head, but it was the best she could hope for with Fara’s current mood.

“I’ll feed you in here,” Rachel opened the door to Fara’s crib. “And if you behave we can let you out and get you ready for the day. And if you don’t behave?” Rachel left the sentence open for Fara to finish.

“You’ll leave me in here.” Fara answered with a grimace

“That’s right,” Rachel smiled and patted her lap. Fara meekly sat her head in it and took the nipple of the bottle when Rachel brought it to her mouth. Fara blushed. Not only was she being bottle fed again, and she found the second time no less embarrassing than the first, but Rachel had also pretty thoroughly put Fara in her place. Being stuck in the crib unable to leave did a lot to illustrate just how much Fara had become dependent on Rachel and Sarah. It was becoming increasingly apparent that this level of dependence would also require a level of respect from Fara that she wasn’t used to giving to anyone.

“There. Now that wasn’t so hard,” Rachel said with a smile as Fara finished the bottle. She still was visibly grumpy but she was no longer taking it out on Rachel despite Rachel’s condescending tone. “Let’s give you a check. Are you wet dear?” Rachel asked, though it was apparent from looking at the diaper that she was and Rachel was also squishing the swollen diaper against Fara. It had become clear to Fara that Rachel was testing Fara’s obedience though, and Fara was not eager to be locked in the crib again.

“Yes I’m wet,” Fara said with a sigh.

“You sure are,” Rachel smiled. “But not wet enough just yet.”

“Come on Rachel please,” Fara pleaded.

“Oh relax. That medicine will go right through you. You’ll probably need a change before we go,” Rachel calmly shut Fara’s request down. Asking for a change, as cute as it was, was a behavior Rachel would have to iron out of Fara at a later date. Fara pouted as Rachel thumbed through the dresses and finally settled on a choice. This was a soft tan dress. The skirt was decorated with designs of candy and the bottom of it was dark brown in a wavy pattern to make it look almost like it was dipped in chocolate. Puffy sleeves and frills had almost become standard for Fara’s dresses. This dress fell to above Fara’s knees, definitely the most risky length thus far.

Despite her reservation about the dress and how it definitely didn’t fit her mood this morning, Fara was not eager to get on Rachel’s bad side so didn’t complain as she was dressed.

“There aren’t you just precious,” Rachel smiled as she helped Fara into some white mary jane shoes. “Isn’t there a name for this kind of style?”

“Sweet Lolita I think is what you’re thinking of,” Fara said quickly.

“Yeah that’s it. This one is definitely a keeper. We’re going out into town shopping today. I’m sure all the locals will be jealous.” Fara didn’t respond. “Maybe a small snack before we go will improve your mood. I can have Sarah toast an English muffin for you. We have to wait for the others to get ready anyway.”

“Ok,” Fara answered quickly.

Fara waited grumpily and impatiently even as Sarah worked to make her the small breakfast. Fara was hoping that Rachel’s prediction would be true and that she would be changed soon. Her mood was not making the wet diaper feel particularly good. Slowly the other girls made their way down to the living room, all of them complimenting Fara’s dress.

Finally Fara felt then need to go, and she quickly did. Even though it wasn’t as much as usual she was pretty wet already, and she was eager to not be stuck in the wet diaper for the car ride. So she made her way to Rachel quickly as it looked like everyone was preparing to leave.

“Rachel I went again,” Fara whispered to Rachel. “Can I get a change now?”

“Oh dear well let me check,” Rachel was much less subtle than Fara and she lifted Fara’s skirt in front of everyone pressing the damp diaper against her for the second time that day. Everyone noticed and couldn’t help but watch at the exchange. Fara was as red with embarrassment and she did her best to bear the situation until Rachel made her verdict. “Ok let’s get you changed then.” Rachel commented as if there was no one else in the room. Fara quickly ducked into Rachel’s room away from everyone’s stares. After the two emerged from the uneventful diaper change everyone was quickly making their way to their respective vehicles. Fara blushed basically the whole way into the car and while she was strapped into her car seat. Again in her embarrassment she didn’t know to make a big deal about Sarah sitting in the passenger seat of the car and not in the car seat next to Fara.

It was a short drive to the downtown area. It wasn’t quite a large town, but it was still fairly populous. They pulled into a parking lot that was on one end of a road that stretched into the town. Along the road were several small novelty shops and cheap tourist attractions. It seems this particular street was one made for tourists to peruse down, the other streets had more mundane shops on them with more affordably priced and useful goods. The girls were tourists however, so the novelty strip would serve to be their fun for the day.

As with the park once they arrived everyone broke off into small groups and went in different directions to the shops that interested them the most. Fara hung around Rachel for the moment. She had the thought that Rachel would get mad at her if she wondered off on her own. Little did Fara know that her wondering off by herself was exactly Rachel and Sarah’s plan. The fact that she was still groggy from poor sleep would make ditching her easier.

It wasn’t long into their walk down the street before Fara became distracted by a candy shop. Rachel and Sarah took the opportunity to duck into the next street out of Fara’s sight. It worked, Fara turned around from her candy gazing and was surprised when Rachel and Sarah weren’t next to her. She looked around her immediate area and they were nowhere to be found. She groaned in annoyance. Her dress didn’t have any pockets, so Rachel had her phone and all of her money. All she could do was stare longingly at the handmade candy without Rachel there.

Another feeling that dawned on Fara was that without Rachel and Sarah there she became more aware of how she was dressed and the people looking at her, which was a fair bit giving they were in the middle of a tourist part of town with people eager to look at things. Fara meekly hid her face and continued down the street in the direction she assumed Rachel and Sarah went off in. In truth the two had actually circled around behind Fara, watching her from afar where they couldn’t be seen. They were hoping to approach her some moments later and scold her for “wandering off.”

Fara walked past an outdoor mining game and chanced to see Riley and Patty playing it. Riley wasn’t exactly the first person Fara wanted to be around, but she hadn’t seen anyone else and needed someone to help her find Rachel and Sarah or at the least distract her from the tourists admiring her cute attire.

“Hey guys,” Fara meekly approached the two.

“Oh sup Fara,” Patty said sifting through some sand to discover a plastic jewel. “Oooo what’s this one get?”

“That’s another minor prize,” Riley answered flatly.

“Geez this game’s a rip off.”

“You think?”

“Anyway, where’s Rachel and Sarah at?” Patty asked Fara. “I figured you’d be hanging around with them.”

“Yeah that was the plan,” Fara said nervously. “I went into a candy shop and lost them.”

“Well did you get anything?” Patty was excited.

“No,” Fara pouted. “I don’t have any pockets so I let Rachel keep my money.”

“Why don’t you get a pocket book?” Riley asked flatly. Fara didn’t respond. “I mean that’s how you carried everything around before right?”

“I didn’t think about it ok,” Fara snapped before calming down.

“What did I say?” Riley asked back with a shrug.

“Nothing,” Fara admitted. “I just didn’t sleep well last night. I’m a little on edge.”

“Well candy is a great cure for the grumps,” Patty offered. “Let’s go grab some of that candy you were eyeballing while I text Rachel for you.” Patty grabbed Fara’s hand and walked onto the street.

“It’s back that way,” Fara blushed as Patty led her by the hand to noted location. Riley rolled her eyes and followed.

“Hey,” Riley called to Fara when they got to the store. Fara looked back at Riley as she fished a bill out of her wallet. “Here I still owe you for a dinner I think. Go nuts.”

“Oh thanks,” Fara slowly took the money but then quickly ran off to buy candy with it. Riley hung back with Patty as she began to text Rachel.

“She’s really like a little kid isn’t she?” Patty remarked.

“Well she isn’t,” Riley replied.

“So? She can act like if she wants to. It’s not hurting anyone.”

“Is that what she wants to do?”

“Seems so, at least that’s what Sarah told us.”

“Well Fara told me something different.”

“She probably just wasn’t ready to say it yet. You are like her best friend right. Stuff’s hard to admit to people.” Riley had a response but it got caught in her throat. She hadn’t considered that Fara might actually want to be treated this way. Was Riley really so intimidating that Fara couldn’t have come to her first? Or maybe she just thought Rachel and Sarah would know more.

“There you are!” Rachel said loudly as she entered the shop Sarah followed behind her. “I don’t know what you were thinking wandering off like that,” Rachel continued as she approached Fara.

“Thanks,” Sarah said to Patty with a sigh. “She’s been in a mood today.” Rachel came back through with a bag of candy in one hand and a grumpy Fara’s hand in the other. Riley watched silently as Rachel left with Fara while Sarah thanked them again for keeping an eye on her. She continued to watch while Fara pouted at Rachel lifting her skirt to check her diaper. Is this something she wanted? She knew Rachel and Sarah had a thing, maybe Fara wanted to be part of that. It seemed she was now or at least she was something similar to Sarah only more childish. Riley looked at all her actions in a different light. Fara always was a little childish, and maybe her Lolita phase could have been an indication that she was into this kind of thing. Riley still found it hard to believe that her best friend was into that, but she couldn’t deny what she was seeing. Maybe she didn’t know Fara as well as she thought she did.