As I was sitting and watching TV, I faintly heard my auntie call my name from the kitchen.
"Henry, come here," she said in her calm voice.
I walked over, wondering what she needed. When I entered the kitchen, I found her making dinner.
"Could you message Andrew and ask him to buy coffee and Rambert Tom's nappies?" she asked peacefully.
"Yeah, sure I can," I replied, leaving the room.
Once she left, I went back to my bedroom and messaged him. He responded, "Alrighty." As I lay in bed, my younger cousin—who was five but still had issues—relaxed nearby without a care. I thought to myself:
"God, I wonder what it would be like to be in a nappy again."
I'd just finished a call with my mum and dad, who were on their honeymoon. After eating dinner, everyone had gone upstairs to their bedrooms, and I was left alone—with a pack of Pampers Baby Dry size 6.
Looking around nervously, I took one out and slowly, carefully changed into it. I walked around in it and deliberately wet the nappy for no real reason. Then I heard footsteps.
Panicking, I rushed to take off the warm, wet nappy—but I couldn't. I tried to move quickly, but I was caught by my auntie.
"Well, Henry, can I see a wet nappy?" she asked with curiosity.
"I don't even know… can we just forget about this?" I replied nervously.
There was a pause. Then she began speaking again.
"Well, since it is wet, you're going to be wearing one for a few nights—and be treated like, let's say, a 7-year-old," she said calmly.
"What do you mean, treated like a 7-year-old?" I asked, confused by what she'd just said.
There was a brief silence as Lauren checked her watch.
"Well, since it's only 8:30, we're going to pop down to Tesco and get you a few things. You'll understand," she said in a monotone voice.
Reluctantly, I agreed and followed her out to the car.
"Get in the car seat," she said, pointing at my younger cousin's seat.
Not wanting to get told off further, I listened. She buckled me in, and I looked around, embarrassed, as she drove to Tesco Extra. She grabbed a shopping trolley and began walking through the store. I followed her as she picked up some childish clothing, then went to the toddler aisle where she grabbed a pack of Pampers Baby Dry size 7 with a Paw Patrol design. After grabbing a few other bits and pieces, she paid and we headed back to the car.
"Back in the car seat again," Lauren said cheerfully.
Reluctantly, I got in, sat down, and she buckled me in. Then she began driving.
"So basically, because of this, you're going to live the same kind of life as Thomas—just a little bit older. That means bedtime at 7:30 p.m., no phone or electronics without parental locks or controls," she explained.
I looked at her, wondering if she had gone completely mad. Then we got back.
"Now, Henry, let's get you to bed," she said.
Once inside, she brought me upstairs to Thomas's bedroom. She grabbed the pack of nappies, ripped it open, and said:
"Lay down, bud."
I complied, still unsure of what was going on. She undressed me, changed me into a nappy, and left me with nothing else on.
"Now let's get you in bed," she said, pointing to the bottom bunk of Tom's bed.
I sighed and got in, not wanting to, and she handed me a pacifier and a toy to sleep with.
"Do you need anything before bedtime?" she asked.
I shook my head and, in my mind, thought:
"What is going on? I'm a 16-year-old in a bed, wearing a nappy, and sucking on a pacifier…"
After about ten minutes of overthinking everything that had just happened, I eventually fell asleep.