Zeke and Lily:
Making A Memory
Zorro Daddy
Copyright 2011 Zorro Daddy
Published by Zorro Daddy at Smashwords
There are always:
Dreams to be Dreamt,
Fairy Tales to be Told,
“Happily Ever Afters”
to be Pursued,
Memories to be Made,
that Perfect Story
to be Written,
that Deepest Love Yet
to be Discovered,
and the Opportunity
- Awaiting to Feel It All.
Zeke and Lily:
Making A Memory
Chapters by Title:
A Little Turbulence
Are you Ready to Make a Memory?
Zeke’s Story
Starry Dream, A Bad Kick
and Trading in Wings
How Long Till I’m All Better?
Paradise Island
In a Single Moment of Time
One Mighty Important Secret
Infantilum Sand Castles
Collapsing for Him
The DreamMaker
Fairy Tale Endings?
Chapter One
“A Little Turbulence”
Lily sat on the swing on her front porch. She lived in the upstairs floor of a building on Lime Street right next to Lancaster General Hospital. She looked down at her feet, taking them out of the sandals. She stuck her legs straight out and flexed her toes, admiring the red nail polish she had just put on them. She envisioned digging her toes into white sand. Trying to be patient, she checked the time on her cell phone. It was only 1:45 p.m. Zeke wasn’t due to pick her up for another fifteen minutes.
It had been a day where having patience led to good things. She left Zeke’s apartment this morning, heading to work. He gave her an envelope that she wasn’t allowed to open until she was sitting in her cubicle at work. When she read the letter inside, she learned that he had set up a two week vacation for the two of them to the Caribbean. He had even cleared it with her boss. She was to leave work at noon, and be packed and ready to go by 2 p.m.
Now she sat on her porch, awaiting Zeke’s arrival, and it was driving her crazy. Even though she had a million thoughts racing through her mind, the seconds still ticked very slowly and 2 p.m. seemed like it would never arrive.
“What will this trip include? Will I be big or little? How did he get my boss to agree to this? I work at Lancaster Newspapers. There are no such things as days off. Is he going to show up? Maybe he changed his mind. Maybe I was supposed to call him to confirm. Maybe he didn’t receive my email from work. Maybe I should stop worrying so much, but if I stop worrying, what happens if I was right to worry, and could’ve done something to prevent whatever problem is keeping him from being here with me now!” she thought all at once.
She curled up into a ball on the swing, putting her knees to her chest. At the very moment when she couldn’t stand it anymore, her cell phone rang.
“Hello? Zeke?” she said as she opened her phone and walked back in off the porch.
“You ready?” he answered through the phone.
“Yes, where are you?” she asked while travelling down the hallway stairs to the first floor.
“I’m at the front door. Can I come in for a moment?” he asked.
She arrived at the front door a split second later, unlocking it and letting him in. She leapt up into his arms and gave him the biggest hug she could.
He returned the sentiment as he carried her up the hallway stairs.
“Is this outfit okay,” she asked while hopping down out of his arms and showing off his button down shirt and the summer skirt she was wearing.
“It looks beautiful on you,” he responded with a warm smile. “Where are your bags?”
“You‘ll be so happy with me. I got everything I needed into one suitcase,” she explained while grabbing his hand and leading him into the bedroom. “It’s kind of heavy, though. Here it is on the bed.”
“It shouldn’t be a problem,” he replied. “Let me use the bathroom and then we can go.”
“Okay!” she said as she sat on the bed and waited.
Zeke used the bathroom and while washing his hands noticed the rolled up diaper he put on her earlier that morning. He exited the bathroom.
“Can we go now?” she asked while standing up, running over to him and embracing him again.
He lifted her skirt and patted her bottom, which was covered with a pair of panties.
“Almost ready,” he said with a grin as he lifted her up and eased her down onto her back on the bed.
She smiled up at him.
“I don’t have any diapers here,” she said.
Zeke stretched his arms straight out to his side in a magician’s fashion. He reached his left hand underneath the back of his shirt at the waist. Quickly, he stretched his left arm back out, producing a diaper in a very Ta-Da! manner.
He lifted her legs and bottom into the air, removing her panties and easing her back down onto the diaper he had positioned underneath her. She instantly began to feel little. Zeke could read it in her eyes. He drew the diaper up at the front and fastened the tapes into place. Leaning in towards her, he put a pacifier between her lips. She smiled behind it.
“Sweetheart, your memories of this trip will make you smile just as brightly,” he said. “Those memories are waiting to be made. Shall we?”
She nodded. He helped her to her feet. He took her in one hand and the suitcase in the other, and they left. When they got outside, she lowered her chin a little and clung to his side. It was moment of insecurity for her and having the pacifier in her mouth soothed her shy nature.
They got into the car and left, headed north to the Harrisburg Airport. She took the pacifier out of her mouth almost immediately to speak.
“How did you get my boss to agree to this trip?” she asked.
“It wasn’t hard. I thought it might be, but I explained all the planning I had put into it and how I wanted it to be a surprise for you. He said it would be fine if you went along,” Zeke explained. “Your boss seems like a great guy.”
“I wouldn’t go so far as to say that,” Lily said honestly. “What if I had said I didn’t want to go?”
“Well…I would have been sad. I guess it would’ve been just me……and that little guy,” he said while pointing to the back seat.
Lily looked in the back seat, and there in the center, buckled in, was her teddy bear. He eyes grew big with excitement and she lost her breath for a moment. She was so excited that she reached back to pick him up before she unbuckled her seatbelt. Realizing this, she unfastened her seatbelt, and then reached back and picked him up.
She sat in her seat, crossed her legs Indian-style, and bounced up and down while hugging the bear. She was having a “Yay!” moment. He had surprised her for a second time today. She placed the teddy bear on her lap. Zeke having remembered the teddy bear wasn’t the only thing about it that made her happy. Around the bear’s neck was the grapevine bracelet that Mr. Woody had made for her. She remembered Mr. Woody’s instructions to wear that bracelet when she went to sleep and he would see her in her dreams.
They zipped down route 283 to the airport. In short order, they arrived. Zeke parked in the long term lot, and they took the shuttle to the terminals. On the way there, Lily looked out the window and saw an airplane taking off. Her eyes grew big again, and she pondered if she should tell Zeke that she had never flown in an airplane before.
“Harrisburg International Airport, also known as mdt on Travelocity,” he said as they exited the shuttle and walked into the check-in area. “This airport is too small to be called international.”
“But it’s close to Lancaster,” Lily said as they walked up to the counter and checked in their luggage.
Zeke held onto the “travel bag”, not wanting the contents of it to be too far away, and of course, Lily held on to the teddy bear. Now they approached the x-ray machines. Lily became a little panicked and her mind started racing uncontrollably with worry once more.
“What if they ask what all the baby stuff was for in that bag? What if they hand-search it? Were they going to dump it out on a table for the entire airport to see?” she worried all at once as she watched Zeke take off his shoes and empty his pockets, putting everything in a plastic tub and placing it on the x-ray belt.
Her eyes followed the bag as it rolled into the machine. The security guard stopped the belt as the bag went through. Lily’s face went white.
“Keep moving!” said a voice, sharply from behind her.
She shuffled over into line behind Zeke, awaiting her turn to walk through the metal detector. With every movement she made, her diaper seemed to crinkle more loudly than ever. Zeke stepped through the detector and the alarm went off. She watched as they pulled him aside, and had him hold his arms out. They patted him down, finding a set of keys in his pocket, and then allowing him to pass.
She bit her lip and closed her eyes as she walked through it. If they were going to pat her down, there would be no playful secret left. Stepping to the other side, she breathed a sigh of relief that no alarm went off. She opened her eyes and looked at Zeke who winked at her, twirled the keys in his fingers and put them in his pocket.
“Did you take those keys through with you deliberately,” she asked him quietly.
“Yep,” he replied as he gathered his things from the tub and grabbed the bag.
“Why?” she asked.
“So they would pat me down, instead of you,” he said as they made their way to gate B4.
She hugged him closely as they walked down the ramp to the plane.
“Thank you,” she said.
“Excuse me,” interrupted the flight attendant at the plane entrance. “You’re going to have to leave that bag at plane-side. We don’t have enough room for carry-ons.”
Zeke looked at Lily and then set the bag down.
“You’ll be able to pick it up when you get off the plane,” said the attendant.
They entered the plane and walked the aisle to their seats. Lily sat there, somewhat anxious. She looked out the window, wondering what the view would look like. Shortly after the pilot’s voice told them to get ready, the plane started moving. The motion startled her and her stomach tightened.
“I’ve never been on a plane before,” she finally admitted. “What does it feel like?”
“It’s hard to describe. It’s a weird sensation when you first take off,” he answered. “But the moment the plane leaves the ground, your body sinks into the seat briefly.”
As the plane lined up on the runway, she was in deep thought trying to imagine what this experience would be like. Suddenly the plane started rolling very quickly. She could feel the speed in her chest, just like on a roller coaster. Her heart began beating faster, and she smiled. Then the plane lifted off the ground. She tensed her body.
They climbed for a few minutes. Looking out the window, she saw everything on the ground quickly get small. They leveled off and she finally relaxed, settling into her seat. Traces of clouds flew by the window, each glazed with sunlight. She peered down over the wing and saw the tops of clouds. Her mind, ever-creative, made out different shapes.
“Would you like a drink, Miss,” said a voice from inside the plane. She looked back from the window. A stewardess was standing in the aisle with a cart. Zeke’s eyes were closed.
“Yes. Water, please,” she said quietly as the stewardess handed her a bottle of water. Thankfully, they were serving drinks on such a short flight. The only air conditioning in the plane was coming from a tiny fan on the controls above her. A drink of water was exactly what she needed.
She looked over at Zeke who had shifted in his sleep, and his head was now leaning towards her. He had a strong jaw line, a feature which made him handsome. Delicately, she traced his eyebrows with her finger tips. She repositioned herself to face him. She looked at his eyes, closed and peaceful, and she smiled. She touched his cheeks with her fingertips and leaned in, kissing him very softly. She leaned back and traced his lips with her thumbs. She leaned in again, giving him a longer kiss before sitting back in her seat and wiping away a tear. He had found a way into her heart by being very loving and gentle with her.
Zeke was very much the father she wished she could’ve had. Her childhood would have been a lot happier if her father was interested at all in having a daughter. She never felt the bond with her father that she now had with Zeke. She felt neglected as a child, but had never told anyone; not even Zeke. This made his TLC manner much more appealing to her. It was genuine, not based on something she told him about her past.
Her sweet thoughts were interrupted by the plane’s descent. Philadelphia was beneath them all ready. As they descended, her ears popped and her stomach clenched involuntarily. The landing wasn’t turning out to be as pleasant as the take off. It was at that moment the bottle of water caught up with her. She clenched her bladder muscles, determined to make it into the terminal. The plane hit a little turbulence, startling her, and that was all it took.
She shifted in her seat as she flooded her diaper, incapable of stopping it. The relief was a welcomed feeling as they touched down and slowed to a roll. She reached over and shook Zeke who had managed to sleep through the landing. He woke up and rubbed his eyes as people began standing up to leave.
Lily unfastened her seatbelt and stood up, not knowing that her diaper had leaked and the back of her dress was soaked. Zeke stood up and stepped into the aisle, waiting for her to get in front of him. She stepped out and began walking up the aisle. Almost instantly, Zeke stopped her and threw the button-down shirt he was wearing around her waist, tying the arms in the front. It was then she realized what had happened.
They moved quickly off the plane, but were held up by the traffic jam of passengers awaiting the arrival of their plane-side baggage. She turned around and buried her face in his chest, wanting nothing more than to get to a bathroom right away. The waiting seemed like an eternity. She tried to not fidget in a diaper which was now swollen and starting to sag.
Finally, after the ground crew had updated each other on the latest news of the Phillies, Sixers, Eagles and Flyers, they got around to unloading the baggage. The moment their bag appeared, Zeke grabbed it and they shot up the ramp. Lily waddled, bow-legged, with great difficulty, but kept moving.
“We have ten minutes to catch our connecting flight,” Zeke said while fishing through the bag for what she would need.
He stuffed what he grabbed into the baseball hat he had been wearing and handed it to her. She grabbed the hat and shuffled to the ladies’ room. She found the first stall, and occupied it. She took off both button-down shirts, and the wet diaper practically fell to the floor as she lifted the soaked summer dress over her head. She sat on the toilet while examining the back of her dress. It was drenched, and she couldn’t put it back on.
Reaching into the hat, she pulled out a travel pack of wipes and cleaned herself. She looked at the soaked dress on the floor and suddenly realized that she had no dress to cover her diaper. Her mind began racing again.
“What am I going to do? Should I put the wet dress back on? Should I call for Zeke? Even if he heard me, he couldn’t walk into the ladies’ room and I can’t leave this stall! Maybe no one will notice if I just put the diaper on and we go straight to the next plane. I can’t even use the other shirt. The front of the diaper will still be exposed, and everybody between here and that plane will see!” she thought as tears streamed down her face.
She cleaned her hands with another wipe and reached into the hat, pulling out the new diaper and unfolding it. There, inside the diaper, like a saving grace, was a pair of jean shorts that Zeke had quickly dug out. Her tears continued streaming, but now for a different reason.
Thirty seconds later, she walked out of the stall wearing the baseball hat, the shirt, the diaper and the jean shorts. She had the dress and the other shirt balled up in one hand, and in the other hand was the wet diaper which she threw away. She exited the ladies’ room and walked up to Zeke with great intent. She handed him the balled up clothing which he put in the bag and zipped up. She reached up, grabbed the back of his hair, thrusted his head down, and planted an enormous ‘thank you-I love you’ kiss. It was anything, but subtle.
The kiss ended and they paused for a moment to look at each other. Her eyes were beaming with passion, and he felt the same way.
“We gotta move,” he said, breaking the moment.
They ran to their gate, down the ramp, and onto the plane.
Destination: Miami
Chapter Two
“Are You Ready to Make a Memory?”
The pilot’s voice came over the monitors: “Ladies and Gentlemen, we are beginning our descent on Miami. The local time is 6:30 p.m. and the weather is a balmy 83 degrees.”
From her window seat, Lily saw the aerial view of Miami as they began to descend for the runway. Even off in the distance, she could see the Atlantic Ocean. The roads seemed busy and the metropolis filled her with excitement. The plane landed smoothly, and they slowed rolled up to the gate. Passengers stood and gathered their items. Zeke stood up and stepped out into the aisle, allowing Lily to walk out in front of him. He readied his button-down shirt to wrap around her. As she stepped out in front of him, she smiled and winked at him. She walked down the aisle and exited the plane, as dry as a bone.
They walked down terminal B, hand-in-hand and slowly. With no hurry, they strolled along. The vacation was upon them. Lily looked down and began playing hop-scotch with the colored tiles on the floor.
“Soooooooo…” she said playfully. “Where will we be going on this trip?”
“There will be a three day cruise to the Bahamas. I believe I said it would be a four day cruise in the letter,” explained Zeke. “Then we will arrive in the Bahamas and stay there for six days. Then we will return on a three day cruise back here to Miami.”
Taking the escalator, they went down to the baggage claim. Zeke began checking the monitors about the baggage machines, looking for their flight number.
“What islands?” Lily asked.
“Several,” he replied quickly.
“You’re not going to tell me?” she asked while laughing.
“Nope,” he replied with a grin on his face. “But I will tell you that you won’t forget this trip, and the blue water alone will take your breath away.”
Finally their luggage appeared on the belt. Zeke picked it up, and they exited the airport. Right outside was a line of cabs waiting on passengers.
“Which cab should we take?” Zeke asked.
“That one,” she decided while pointing one of the cabs.
“Why that one?” Zeke asked.
“Because it says ‘Coconut Grove’ on the side of it. That’s a neat name,” she answered as Zeke loaded the luggage into the trunk.
Away they went.
“Where to?” said the driver.
“The Biscayne Bay Marriot,” Zeke said as he noticed Lily yawning broadly. “Are you getting tired, Girl?”
“Huh-uh” she said as she yawned again.
She laughed as she rested her head on his lap and closed her eyes. They rolled down the Dolphin Expressway. Dusk had begun and the bright rays of daylight turned into golden beams of sunset. Zeke looked down at Lily, her face lightly illuminated in the twilight. She looked so peaceful, and she looked so happy. He gently stroked his hand threw her hair. It was long and beautiful, and it felt so soft in his fingertips. Sometimes it was curly and bounced when she walked. Other times, like right now, it was straight and cascaded down her neck and shoulders with an elegance that made you stop and notice her.
Her face was completely relaxed, and only occasionally twitched ever-so-slightly as he kissed her forehead. While caressing her cheeks, he slipped her pacifier into her mouth. Without being disturbed from sleep, she accepted the pacifier and nestled it tightly between her lips.
She shifted herself and laid on her back, her neck and head still resting on his lap. For Zeke, there were few things so beautiful in life as the sight of Lily asleep. At these moments she was completely serene, pampered by an absolute feeling of safety he provided. The kind of love that can be spoken in words, but can always be felt strongly without saying anything. He traced her eyebrows with his thumbs. They were sculpted with great attention, her trademark of sorts: the little details.
Zeke looked up and saw the Marriott, just a block away. In one swift, yet delicate motion, he slid his fingers down her face and removed the pacifier from her lips. She softly awakened, and sat up. They got out of the cab, and entered the hotel.
The lobby was quiet, unlike the city of Miami, still buzzing with life and a never-ending supply of energy. Lily struggled a little to awaken herself as they approached the check-in counter. It had been a rather unexpectedly long, busy day. Zeke got the room card and they proceeded to the elevator.
“What floor are we on?” she asked while yawning, and pushing the up button.
“We’re almost at the top. The 27th floor,” he replied as the elevator doors and they got on.
Her eyes grew big.
“That’s way up there,” she said.
The doors closed, and she turned to face him. His left hand reached to feel her bottom. The overwhelming sensation of being little washed over her and she invited it to effect every nerve-ending sense within her body. She curled up her shoulders and tucked her head as she leaned into his chest and buried her face. She knew what he was about to do and the delightful baby feeling mixed with the danger of discovery made for a butterfly-filled tummy.
He unzipped her jean shorts, lowered them to her ankles and off her feet. She stood there in her diaper and his button down shirt, preparing for the thrill of the walk to their room. She could feel her heart beating through her chest.
“Are you getting hungry?” he asked her, knowing she was distracted.
“Yeah,” she said, incapable of saying much else.
Her excitement was building. She counted the floors one at a time. Then the elevator stopped and the doors opened. She boldly stepped out, looked left and right, and then quickly ran back into the elevator into Zeke’s arms. They walked back out of the elevator and down the hall. At the end of the hall was a young couple, relatively the same age as Zeke and Lily. The two couples casually passed each other in the hall. As Zeke opened the door, Lily waved to the couple lightheartedly, and then walked into the room.
Zeke shut the door and turned around to see Lily leap up into the air and land on the bed.
“So, are you gonna order room service?” she asked as she bounced on the bed.
“I all ready have,” he said as he placed their luggage on one of the beds. “When we checked in. It should be here any minute. Which means…..”
“Which means what?” she asked perplexed.
“We need to get ready for dinner,” he said as he opened the AB bag.
He pulled out a blanket and placed it on the carpet between the two beds.
“Shall we have a picnic?” he asked.
She clapped her hands and hopped down off the bed onto the blanket. He began to unbutton her shirt, and off it came, followed by her bra. She stood up on her knees and embraced him again. Hugs were a very frequent and important thing for her to give and receive. Every hug meant something to her, and Zeke always returned the hug honestly. She could sense he did this, and that he was sincere. He reached down to her diaper for a check. The little feeling swept over her again. Her diaper was dry and as Zeke discovered this, she winked at him.
A knock came from the door. Zeke stood up and answered the door as Lily ducked behind the bed, playfully peaking up over the edge. He returned with a tray with several plates and drinks on it. He picked up one of the drinks, reached into the AB bag, pulled out one of her diapers and placed it over his forearm like a waiter’s towel.
“Mademoiselle,” he said, using the best French accent he could muster. “We have a vewee, vewee special meal for you zis evening. Fehrst, a caneestair of Coka Colah.”
He cracked the can open and handed it to her. Next, he picked up one of the covered plates and continued with his French waiter routine:
“Ahnd now zee main course. A plate of deh-lee-shus spah-get-tee.”
He uncovered the plate and placed it in front of her. Her eyes grew big and she smiled from ear to ear. She plunged her right hand into the spaghetti and began playing with it. Zeke grinned and turned on the TV as she engulfed the first mouthful.
“Nick-a-woah-dee-ahn,” she mumbled with a mouthful of food.
Zeke turned on Nickelodeon, right in the middle of a SpongeBob marathon. Lily cheered and continued eating. Zeke pulled a bib from the bag and attached it around her neck. She was now enamored with the TV, and took big swigs of the soda. Zeke gathered his plate and drink and sat next to her. He spent the time watching her enjoy herself. She was very much in a world of her own but kept looking over at him and smiling.
He finished his plate long before her. She was a little distracted and had no desire to let this fun time end quickly. Zeke got up and walked into the bathroom. He was gone for a little while. She finished her spaghetti at long last and licked the plate clean. Then she drank the remainder of her soda. Covering her hands and forearms was spaghetti sauce. She wiped her hands on her bib, and looked up at Zeke who was walking back into the room. He had a washcloth in his hand.
She showed her arms and hands to him. She was an absolutely adorable sight to behold. He knelt down with a grin and wiped her face, hands and arms clean. He removed the bib from her neck, and reached down to unfasten her diaper. Lily looked at him confused.
“But my diaper isn’t wet yet,” Lily stated.
“It will be if I dip you into the tub with it on,” Zeke responded while unfastening her diaper and lifting her up into his arms.
“A bath?” she asked.
“You betcha,” he said while bouncing her up and down in his arms.
As he did this she began letting out a tiny barrage of little feminine burps, followed by laughter as she covered her mouth, shyly.
He carried her into the bathroom where a tub full of bath water filled with bubbles was awaiting her. She clapped her hands excitedly, proclaiming: “Yay!”
Slowly he lowered her into the bathtub. Her bottom touched the warm water first. Her attention changed to how warm the water felt on her skin and as he lowered the rest of her body into the tub, she closed her eyes, reveling in the warmth. He eased her body down onto the tub bottom and leaned her head back on a towel he placed on the edge of the tub as a pillow.
A once bouncy, silly girl had calmed. It was exactly what a warm bath should do to a girl. Zeke began to bathe her with a washcloth. He took his time, slowly and deliberately, to continue preparing her for bed. Her eyes remained closed and her face had relaxed again. She was getting tired.
He finished bathing her, but left her in the tub for a few minutes as he prepared her clothing for bed. Then, he returned to the bathroom and very gently lifted her up out of the tub. She whimpered for a brief moment as the cool air touched her skin.
“Shh,” Zeke softly whispered as he wrapped her in a towel and dried her.
He carried her out and placed her on the bed. Everything she would be wearing for the night was spread out next to her. He placed the pacifier in her lips, and winked at her as he raised her bottoms and legs in the air. The sweet scent of powder filled the air. He lowered her legs back down to the bed and onto a diaper. She parted her legs as he wrapped the diaper up and into place, fastening it around her waist.
He gently sat her up. She raised her arms straight up in the air as he lowered her nightie down over her head. Next came the softest socks in the world. Finally, a super soft baby blanket from her crib. She was being surrounded in total comfort. Everything touching her was soft. She was bathed and clean and ready to sleep, but there was one more thing to do yet.
Zeke climbed into bed next to her. He cradled her body over his lap and covered her body with the sheets and blanket from the bed. He handed her the teddy bear, and removed the pacifier from her mouth. Lily looked at the teddy bear and quickly took the bracelet from its neck and put it on her wrist (remembering Mr. Woody’s directions to do so before she went to sleep.)
She looked up at Zeke who was placing the nipple of a baby bottle to her lips.
“Open,” he said.
She parted her lips and took the nipple. She leaned her head on his chest and closed her eyes. Taking in the first mouthful, she tasted the sweet flavor of warm milk. It was a perfect way to end an absolutely wonderful day. She clung to his body as she nursed on the bottle, so very happy to be right where she was. Zeke began running his fingers through her hair which always felt heavenly.
He leaned in and kissed her forehead ever-so-gently, and began to lightly rock her body back and forth in his arms. Lily was filled with emotion. She often couldn’t find a way to channel that emotion, and she always felt silly after she cried, especially if someone saw her cry. This moment, however, was different. Tears formed in her eyes, built from a love within that has to come out. She closed her eyes, allowing the tears to roll down her cheeks right into Zeke’s waiting fingertips. He delicately wiped them away. She didn’t feel silly for crying this time.
She finished her bottle, and Zeke placed it on the night stand. Still lightly rocking her, he patted her back. She let out those little burps again.
“Thank you, Daddy,” she whispered. “I love you so much.”
“Thank you, BabyGirl” he replied, as he placed the pacifier back in her mouth and kissed her forehead once more. “And I love you just as much.”
He placed her on her tummy (her favorite position for sleeping). She closed her eyes and squeezed her teddy bear tightly, and just that quickly she was asleep.
Hours later, she awoke to a voice: “Lily Girl,” the voice said.
She looked around the room and couldn’t see anyone. The TV was still on and cast dim light throughout the room (Zeke’s answer to a travel nightlight).
“Mr. Woody?” she said, calling out.
“Over here, Lily Girl,” said the voice.
She looked over at the window, and there sitting on the window ledge was Mr. Woody.
“That is you, Mr. Woody,” she whispered.
“You needn’t be so quiet. He can’t hear you. You’re dreaming right now,” explained Mr. Woody. “I think he fancies you, Lily Girl.”
“I know,” said Lily as she gazed at him asleep next to her in the bed.
“Are you ready for a trip?” Mr. Woody asked.
“Yes! Where are we going?” she asked, while hopping out of bed.
“It’s a surprise,” Mr. Woody said as she walked over to him at the window.
“Why doesn’t anyone ever want to tell me where they’re taking me?” she asked.
“I don’t want to tell you where we’re going. I want to show you, and when it comes to you as a surprise, your face lights up and you get very excited. It’s a joy to watch, and it gives me pride to know I was able to make you feel that way. I believe your Zeke fella over there sees it the same way….. Now, let’s get going. Close your eyes and open them again.”
She closed her eyes and opened them, just as he had instructed, to find herself standing at the edge of the beach behind the hotel. She looked around in amazement, and then to Mr. Woody for explanation.
“No time for that! Come along!” Mr. Woody said and he grabbed her hand and ran.
They ran into the middle of the beach where she saw a sand castle, a really large sand castle.
“Now, I will explain this,” he said. “I built this sand castle myself, and I’m very proud of it. Come on!”
They ran inside the castle and up to the roof where they sat.
“I’ve got to be dreaming,” she said. “You built this huge sand castle yourself. It’s big enough for us to go inside of it, and it’s strong enough for us to sit on the roof.”
“Lily Girl, you haven’t seen anything yet,” Mr. Woody said with a grin. “Take a look in the ocean.”
She looked out into the ocean, shimmering with moonlight and cresting with waves. She took in a deep breath of the ocean air, and let it back out.
“I’ve never been to the beach before,” she said.
“Is that so?” asked Mr. Woody. “Well, then, I will have to make your first trip to the beach very special.”
He snapped his fingers and the waves died out. The water became still and the moonlight grew brighter over the water. Everything got quiet. Then suddenly, a dolphin leapt up out of the water, arced in the air and dove back in. Another dolphin did the same thing a moment later. Then several dolphins began jumping out of the water at the same time. Soon the ocean in front of them was filled with dolphins. Lily’s mouth dropped wide open, and she gasped at what she was seeing. She soon found herself applauding it, and just as quickly as it began, it ended.
Lily hugged Mr. Woody.
“Thank you so much, Mr. Woody,” she said to him.
“You’re very welcome,” he replied. “Now, you need to rest. Tomorrow is an even bigger day than today was. Close your eyes and open them back up. I’ll see you again soon, Lily Girl.”
She closed her eyes and re-opened them. She found herself staring at the ceiling of the hotel room. She heard the sound of her diaper tapes unfastening, and suddenly her bottom and legs were lifted in the air. She closed her eyes, pretending to still be asleep as Zeke changed her diaper.
When finished, he lifted her up into his arms. She opened her eyes and said: “Boo!”
“Trying to spook me, are you?” said Zeke as he laughed, removed her nightie and placed her back down on the bed. “Do you know what happens to BabyGirls who try to spook their Daddies?”
“What?” Lily giggled.
“They get tickled!” he replied as he pinned her arms above her head and tickled her sides.
She howled with laughter as he planted a raspberry zerbit on her tummy. She curled her body up around his head until he stopped. Still laughing she sat up and looked around. Everything was all ready packed up and ready to go. He had even laid out her outfit for the day on the bed ……. a pink t-shirt and a white pair of overall shorts.
“Arms up!” he said as she did so and he slid the t-shirt on her. “Legs up!”
She lifted her legs in the air and the overall shorts were soon on her. He handed her two hair ties and a brush.
“Pigtails, Daddy?” she asked, taking the items from him.
“Pigtails, BabyGirl,” he said.
She sat on the bed Indian-leg style as she brushed her hair and put it in pigtails. Zeke checked the room once more before they left. He gathered their luggage and opened the door. Lily walked out into the hallway, and there was the young couple from last night. She froze in place, realizing her outfit was very young-looking. It didn’t concern her very much, at least not until they got on the elevator together.
The ride down to the lobby was very quiet, and Lily was glad when the doors finally opened. They stepped out into the lobby and proceeded right out to catch a cab. The ride to the port was really interesting as they got to see a lot of the beach and parts of Southern Florida. It was so busy, and seemed like a great place to vacation, but the fast-pace would probably not be comfortable for her. She stared out the window at many things, but her attention soon was drawn to the massive cruise ship ahead of them. Even from a distance, it seemed large and as they drew closer to it, it just kept getting bigger.
When the cab stopped, they were right next to the cruise ship. Lily got out of the car, and stared up at it in wonderment. The words ‘Royal Caribbean’ stretched along the entire side of it. Zeke, who was gathering their luggage from the cab, noticed her awe-struck state. He walked up to her and took her by the hand.
“Well, BabyGirl, here we are,” he said as they both gazed up at the ship. “Are you ready to make a memory you won’t forget?”
Lily, who was still in awe, simply said: “Oh, yeah.”
Chapter Three
“Zeke’s Story”
Zeke took Lily by the hand and they made their way up the ramp and onto the main deck. She kept looking around at the size of the ship. It seemed enormous to her and as they made their ways indoors and up a flight of stairs, they stopped at a sign that said: “Brunch in the main dining area - 10:30 am to 1:00 pm.”
“You hungry, Love?” he asked her.
“Yeah,” she said taking his hand again as they walked down the cabins hallway and stopped at room number 123.
“1, 2, 3,” she said playfully. He handed the room key to her, and she unlocked it, bursting through the door, running down the room, and leaping onto the bed just as she had done in the hotel.
“Did you know I’ve never been on a cruise before?” she asked.
“Never?” he asked back.
“Never, and I’ve also never been to the beach, and I’ve also never flown in an airplane before yesterday,” she continued.
“How about the zoo?”
“Once, but I don’t remember much about the trip.”
“How about the mall?” he asked jokingly as she laughed and turned over on her back.
“I live there,” she said before turning on her side to face him.
“Can I ask you something, Zeke?” she inquired with a serious look on her face.
“Absolutely,” he said enthusiastically as he finished unpacking and lounged next to her on the bed.
“When did you know you wanted to be an AB daddy?” she asked while sitting up and crossing her legs.
“Third grade,” he replied. “Although I didn’t actually know I wanted to be a daddy then, but I met a girl in my class who had a bladder problem. She had to wear a diaper at all times, and this gave her a self-esteem problem. She was really sweet, but was always depressed.”
“And you cheered her up?” she asked.
“I was her only friend,” Zeke replied, while pausing to reflect on the memory of her. “Brunch. Let’s go eat. Shall we?”
“Yes,” she said hopping off the bed excitedly. “Can I eat whatever I want?”
“So long as you eat at least one thing that isn’t loaded with sugar,” he said.
“Okay,” she giggled sheepishly.
They left the room and headed to brunch. The main dining area was just as huge as everything else on the ship. There were at least fifty round tables, and the buffet display stretched down the middle of the room. Lily walked up to it and picked up a plate. It had every possible breakfast food on it. She loaded her plate up with eggs, bacon, and French toast, picking up an orange juice at the end of it.
“What did you mean when you said you were her only friend?” she asked as they sat down.
“Who?” he asked.
“The girl in third grade who had to wear a diaper. You said you were her only friend,” she continued.
“I was. Nobody else liked her. They picked on her,” he explained.
“They picked on her?!” she said, amazed.
“Yeah. Mercilessly sometimes,” he replied.
“Why?”
“Because she had to wear a diaper. It was a daily routine for everyone to make fun of her until she broke down in tears.”
“Did you pick on her?”
“No. I was her only friend. I defended her…from everybody...even my own friends sometimes,” he said beginning to reflect.
“Did they pick on you because you defended her?” she asked, intrigued at this story.
“They tried,” he pridefully stated. “But they failed. I felt a need to protect her from them. It almost felt like an obligation to make sure she was protected. I didn’t know it at the time, but it was the beginning of the ‘Daddy’ mentality.”
Everyone in the dining room had been slowly finishing their meals and making their way out onto the side deck.
“I think the ship tour is about to start,” Zeke said. “Are you done eating?”
“Yes,” she said as she got up and grabbed her orange juice for the tour.
Zeke stood up and looked at her empty plate.
“You ate all of that?” he asked, surprised.
“And it was good,” she said with a smile as she took his hand.
They walked out onto the deck and into a cluster of people. Moments later, a woman began speaking, their tour guide. As the instructions were given out, Lily glanced to her right, and standing about 10 feet away was the couple from the hotel. The lady looked over at Lily. They exchanged a look at each other much in the same fashion as they did last night at the hotel.
Just then, the group started moving. They walked every inch of the ship and paused at locations for the guide to explain everything that was offered onboard. The pool was large like everything else on the ship. There were side restaurants, gaming areas, theaters, sports bars, arcades, and the activities available went on.
Lily strolled along, spending most of the tour looking out at the ocean. Occasionally, Zeke would give her a playfully nudge and a wink. She smiled at him and continued sipping her orange juice. The tour was much fun and didn’t interest her very much. She kept the couple from the hotel in the corner of her eye.
After pausing in front of yet another sports bar to hear about its menu, she began to feel a pain in her abdomen. A big brunch had caught up to her quickly. It didn’t concern her much. She would use the bathroom in their room after the tour, but the tour kept going on and her need for release began to grow. She looked behind her to find that they were buried in the middle of the group. If the urge grew anymore, she would have to skip the rest of the tour.
Then, they got to the boardwalk malls. Shopping! It was an area that resembled a boardwalk with little shops on the one side. Everyone stepped up to the shop windows and peered in. Every possible trinket, souvenir, and vacation gift was there. This also included a jewelry shop. Lily made her way up to the glass and stared at a little glass elf that reminded her of Mr. Woody. She took a moment to remember all the places where Mr. Woody had taken her in her dreams: The countryside, the oyster she found in the lake, the unicorns she saw in the moonlight’s reflection on the water, the sandcastle on the beach and the jumping dolphins in the ocean. These memories made her happy and she felt good. A little too good…..
She snapped out of the memories when she realized her abdomen was aching as much. Then she realized she had begun pooping herself. At first, it wasn’t so bad, but she soon felt the diaper beginning to puff out around her bottom. Then the tell tale scent began to permeate the air around her. Her face went white, and tears began to form in her eyes. She looked over at, Zeke, just a few feet away, with a look of horror. Zeke walked over to her, recognizing something was wrong.
“What’s wrong?” he asked before making the discovery from the scent in the air. “This tour is getting long. How about we cut it short?”
He took her by the hand and began weaving them through the people behind them. She was really uneasy about her situation and began to really feel like a baby. The scent followed her, and she felt helpless to do anything about it. She followed along with waddled steps, cling to Zeke’s arm like a child waiting for her Daddy to make everything better.
Finally, the saw the back of the crowd, and were almost free, but standing in the back of the group was the couple from the hotel. The lady looked at Lily, and Lily lowered her eyes and her head, trying to hide her tears and the flushed look on her face. Her self-consciousness grew, and as they passed by the couple, Lily’s ears were becoming overwhelmed with the deafening crinkle of her diaper.
Her embarrassment continued to grow as they passed back through the dining room where a full staff of servers were cleaning up the brunch. Her face turned red, and she now clung to Zeke’s chest, smashing her body so tightly to him and wishing she were invisible. She felt completely vulnerable now, and though the situation probably was noticeable or obvious to anyone at all, that didn’t stop her from fearing that the world knew everything now.
They made it to the cabins hallway, and her panicked condition began to lessen. She looked up at Zeke and then became upset with herself because this whole time she had been concerned with herself only and not whether Zeke was upset by this.
“Are you mad at me?” she quietly asked him in a tiny voice.
“No. Not at all,” he replied, reassuringly as he opened their cabin door.
“Are you sure?” she asked while entering the cabin and breaking down at the same time. “Because if you are mad, I am so sorry. I knew I had to go and I shouldn’t have waited. It wouldn’t have been an issue at all except I ate that huge meal, and I know I shouldn’t have done that, but it all looked so good.”
“It’s okay, Lily,” Zeke interrupted her with in a calm, relaxing voice as he closed the cabin door, and unfastened the buckles of her overall shorts.
“I’m so lucky you were there to take care of me because I didn’t know what to do,” she said as her eyes teared up again and she stepped out of the overall shorts and raised her arms as he removed her t-shirt. “And I know I should know what to do because I’m an adult, but I was looking at the jewelry in the window and I began daydreaming…”
“Shhhh,” he softly interrupted her with while placing her pacifier in her mouth.
She stood before him in nothing but her dirty diaper. She collapsed into his arms and embraced him as he rocked her back and forth.
“It’s okay. You need to calm yourself down,” Zeke said as he gently removed her pigtail holders, allowing her hair to fall down on her shoulders.
The warmth of his body felt so wonderful, and she listened to his heart beating and the echo his voice in his chest.
“You are allowed to eat as much as your heart desires. You did nothing wrong, and Daddy will always be here to comfort you,” Zeke said as he gently eased her body down onto the bed.
She lied there and began to relax. Her racing heartbeat and racing thoughts began to slow down as she found herself slipping back into that “little” feeling. It was always an inviting feeling that she longed for and even when she got hysterical, Zeke always found a way to help her return to the “little” feeling.
He unfastened her diaper and then raised her legs and bottom in the air. Never once did he ever complain about the task before him. Instead he was sweet, and handled her body with a caressing touch uncommon to most. This was one of those moments where she could feel how much he loved her. It took no words being spoken, but rather actions which conveyed she was safe in his care.
The scent of powder filled the air; a much better alternative, and soon he was fastening her into a new diaper. Next he began the softening effect. The socks on her feet, the nightie he slipped over her shoulders, and the blanket he wrapped her in gave her an endearing sense of being swaddled, the rapture of a tender and an absolutely endearing mood.
She looked up at him with all the love that could beam from her eyes. He eased her head back on the pillows on the bed, and covered her with the bed sheets.
“I think you could use a little nap,” he said in such a thick and inviting Daddy tone that she instantly got “butterflies” in her tummy and adorably nestled herself down for the nap.
She closed her eyes, and fell asleep almost instantly. She slept peacefully and soundly, hardly shifting at all in a greatly needed bit of slumber. Zeke sat next to her on the bed, and in moment when she turned her head to find a cool spot on the pillow he was a “Johnny-on-the-spot” in returning the pacifier to her lips when it fell.
She was a breath-taking and angelic sight. The curtains that Zeke had drawn to darken the room let in a trace of light, just enough to dance on her skin and warm the setting. He crossed to the other side of the bed and knelt down beside her. He was captivated with her, and his love for her was growing. He cherished the innocence she possessed, an innocence she didn’t even know she had.
Looking over at the alarm clock, he began preparing a bottle for her. It wasn’t quite dinner time yet, but he knew she would need a little more “baby” time before they did anything else. Hoping her rest had recharged her emotions, having been left drained from the earlier events of the afternoon, he peeled the bed sheets off her, and lifted her into his arms. Still swaddled in her blanket, she didn’t stir from her sleep.
Carrying her over to the sofa, he cradled her body close to him. He could feel the warmth of her body. He sat down and gently rocked her, making certain not to lose the sense of security she subconsciously treasured at this moment. Kissing her on the forehead, he felt the heat of her skin. It was emitting from her like a flame searching for fuel. He stroked her right cheek, and she took in a chestful of air through her nose. Opening her eyes, she delicately batted her beautiful eyelashes as she awoke. She looked up at him and her face lit up with an adorable smile that would melt any guy’s heart instantly.
“Do you feel better?” he quietly asked with an endearment in his voice.
She nodded her head in adoration and kept her eyes fixed on him. They both ached for this bond between them to never end. She was so content that she would have remained enveloped in his arms forever and a day. Zeke was lost for words. He removed her pacifier, and in that moment, she leaned up to him, put her hand behind his head and kissed him with a passion as mighty as a rose. He returned the gesture, also being caught up in the emotion and the embrace.
He leaned her back into his arms and drew his fingertips down her face as he placed the bottle tip between her lips. She took it into her mouth and cuddle closely to him as she began drinking. Every nerve-ending in her body was alive. Every emotion within her soul was effected. Many people find love with someone. She had found something much deeper; a sense of belonging.
He loosened the blanket around her, allowing a little of the cool air in the room to rush down her body. She closed her eyes and whimpered faintly.
“Shhhh,” he whispered softly into her ear as he drew her closely to him. “It’s okay. Be a good girl for Daddy.”
His right hand traveled inside the blanket and down between her legs for a diaper check. She shifted her hips slightly, and modestly parted her legs to allow him to check. The orange juice which had served as relief for an unsettled tummy during the tour had now made her diaper wet. He reached behind her and patted her diapered bottom, a sentiment which always brought the “baby feeling” back to the front of her mind.
Slowly, he removed the blanket from her body as he stood up and placed her on the couch. She curled up into a ball with her knees to her chin as she watched him spread the blanket out on the carpet. He picked up the AB bag off the bed and placed it on the blanket. Lily knew what he was doing. She finished her bottle and placed it on the couch as she crawled down onto the floor and over to the blanket.
She lied on her back, mixing the view with glances at Zeke who was preparing to change her and glances at the ceiling. She used all five senses when he changed her. She closed her eyes as he placed her pacifier between her lips. The taste and texture of the rubber nipple was always soothing. She listened to the sound of her diaper being unfastened. She felt the cool, yet fresh feeling of the wipes on her skin. Her bottom and legs went in the air, held up by a strong hand that gave new meaning to the word “gentle”. The scent of powder filled her nose as he lowered her bottom and legs back down. The feeling of a new diaper being fastened to her waist completed the journey of all five senses.
She sat up, and lifted her arms in the air as he removed her nightie. She took both of his offered hands and stood up, immediately embracing him in stance. He held her tightly while rocking her gently and patting her freshly diaper bottom. She rested her head on his chest as the “baby feeling” rippled through her one body one more time.
“You need to get ready,” he said as she reached up with her tiny hands and touched his face.