Sweethearts & Cages

A crib is just a cage for babies. That was how this had all began, and although it felt like a lifetime ago, it couldn't have been more than a week. I say couldn't have, because honestly I couldn't remember all the details. After all that had happened, though, even with how I was dressed by force, I had to say I was proud to keep my spirit. 

"See Charlie? You put me in a crib, and now you put me in a cage, and you know I don't think it's that different. I guess I was right the whole time."

She wanted to humiliate me, to teach me a lesson, and yeah... I mean, this was embarrassing, mortifying, even - but I had an ego far more swollen than the diaper she'd made me wear and use.

~~~

Charlie looked down at her girlfriend with irritation.  Penny had always been a little too stubborn for her own good, but she'd learn her lesson this time.  With finesse, she clipped the carabiners to the walls of the cage, forcing her ankles high in the air and her wrists above her head.  The cage was small, and there was no way she was comfortable.  Already, she had wet a diaper and slept in a crib - how much more could she take?

"Well, if you're so content with the cage," Charlie said with a smile, "you can spend the night in there."

~~~

"Fine." 

Yeah, I had a smug smile, and my tone even sounded assured. But I didn't exactly what to lay here like this all night, either.  Hmm. What mess had I gotten myself into?

"But you know that it won't change my mind on anything, so you might as well just admit you lost."

For the first time, some of my bravado actually sounded false. Already I had pins and needles.

~~~

This all started because Penny said chocolate milk came from brown cows.  Charlie told her she was wrong.  Charlie showed her on the internet.  Charlie even printed out essays and interviews explaining how chocolate milk was made.  But Penny refused to admit she was wrong. "Well, that's different chocolate milk," she said. "Not the stuff I drink." And Charlie was so frustrated that she tied Penny to the bed all night.  The next morning, when she had wet herself, she acted so smug.  Like she'd won.  But Charlie wasn't letting her off that easy.  Then came the diapers.  Then came the baby crib she borrowed from her sister.  And now, the puppy cage.  Charlie was willing to go as far as needed to teach her girlfriend a lesson.

"Okay then," Charlie said plainly. "Goodnight." She flicked off the light and closed the door to the spare bedroom.

~~~

Something happened in the middle of the night, somewhere in the delirium of not being able to sleep and wondering how long all this would last - for the very first time in my life, I realized that this wasn't a battle I should ever have picked. Honestly, I should have given in days ago, but I was very... certain, when it came to my own damn opinions. By the time the morning came, and Charlie came back, I was both very wet, very sore, and also very ready to be contrite.

~~~

"How's my little girl this morning?" Charlie said with a bright smile and a cup of coffee in her hands.

"I'm sorry," Penny said, without a prompt. "I'm sorry, I let this go on too long.  I'm sorry I'm stubborn.  I'm sorry, I'm sorry..."

Charlie could see tears in her tired eyes.  Aww, she was so cute like this!  But then Charlie noticed something else: a puddle on the blanket beneath Penny.  Obviously, in this position, the diaper had leaked.

"Well.  I hear that you're sorry.  But you are still having accidents.  So since you apologized, you can start sleeping in bed again.  But you'll be in diapers until I say otherwise.  Do you understand?" 

Penny looked at Charlie with astonishment, with fear.  But she couldn't fight anymore.  She didn't want to.

"I understand..."