Chapter Eleven - Laurie's Protection

Later that evening, I was riding as high as a kite. After the confrontation in the cafeteria, Taylor had thought it best that the Beavers and Cubs break off into their own activities. Just as I’d hoped, we’d gone off to build dams along the creek, our two lodges competing to construct the most effective structure out of twigs, mud, and rocks. The simple competition was more convivial than cut-throat however; with the gaggle of five to seven year olds more committed to splashing their little feet in the shallow water and marveling at the stream parting and reconverging around their dams than crushing their opponents. In the end, our two separate structures had merged into one mega-project, the beavers chatting, yelping, and giggling in excitement about the rest of the weeks’ activities, or our favorite television shows, or - in giddy hushed voices away from grown-up ears - our plot to enact Liam’s secret plan that very night, after lights out.

Now, with the sun down and the woods consumed in inky blackness, we had reconvened with the Cubs around the campfire. Bradley had plonked himself down at the place beside me, and although at first I’d felt very embarrassed for the neighbor boy to see me in my Beaver uniform and brown tail, his warm smile and easy-going attitude soon coaxed me out of my shell. Really, he just wanted to vent. Apparently, Nate’s aunt had led them all on some endless hike through the mountains, and he had blisters all over his feet. I resisted the urge to gloat. Afterall, I’d had the time of my life while they were all trudging aimlessly through the woods!

“What did you get up to?” Bradley asked, now realizing I had only been listening to him.

“We made beaver dams in the creek.” I told him, grinning like an idiot. “It was fun.”

“I remember when we did that.” He told me, smiling. “Zach and I were partnered for it…” He suddenly trailed off and looked serious. “I’m glad you had fun though.”

“You and Zach are friends?” I asked a little absentmindedly. This was the first time I had even seen my neighbor and Zach together. I supposed it would make sense. I knew they were both in cubs and they were both in the same year.

“Not really.” He said truthfully, then let out a sigh. “He’s friends with Nate and the others.”

“But you used to be friends?” I questioned further.

Brad nodded, clearly wanting to drop the subject. “What was your favorite part of Dam building?”

“Playing in the creek - Kianna was there too.” I gushed, smiling. Kianna had decided to help with the beavers, since Zach had gone on the hike with the cubs. “She’s really nice!”

Bradley gave a doting half-smile as I regaled him with stories from my day, patting me affectionately on the tap of my hat before offering me some of his marshmallows.

I was just constructing a haphazard s’more, chortling along to the next silly skit the Bobcats were performing by the light of the fire, when I had a funny feeling that something was missing. I glanced around, taking note of each of the Beavers. Where was Laurie? He’d said he was just going to get his PJs on, but that had been at least 20 minutes ago. Was he still sulking in the cabin all by himself? I couldn’t help but feel strangely guilty. Even with all the fun we’d had that afternoon, Laurie had been uncharacteristically quiet, still devastated by the kidnapping of his beloved stuffed animal.

Stuffing down my s’more, a few streaks of ooey gooey chocolate smearing around my lips in the process, I resolved to go find him. It wasn’t fair that he was missing out. Besides, I was sure a s’more or two would be just the thing to cheer him up. As I approached the Beaver cabin, the soft sound of sullen sniffling behind the door made my ears prick up. I paused, having a sudden sense that I was barging my nose in where it didn’t belong, but then I heard Laurie’s voice whimpering out loud and clear.

“No…I don’t wanna…please don’t make me!”

I let out a grunt of anger, an unquenchable fury at the idea that anyone might be mistreating the harmless five-year-old soon extinguishing any reservations I might have had about interfering. Why couldn’t they just leave him alone! As I flung open the door however, I was shocked to see that it was not Nate or any of the other cubs standing over Laurie - but Taylor. Still, the little boy himself looked plenty upset, rubbing at his puffy eyes as he stood by the bunk in a crumpled yellow button up pajama top, and what seemed to be a crisp crinkly pair of blue and white underwear featuring a cheery image of a bunny rabbit on the front. I gave a double take as I realized what they were. Pull ups!

“Coop!” Taylor exclaimed, eyes wide in surprise. I instantly realized my mistake, and my first instinct was to turn heels and run from the room, but I could tell from the terrified look on Laurie’s face that that would only make things worse. Instead, I froze, blinking stupidly as I remained anchored to the spot.

“I…” I began, but trailed off. What could I possibly say to make things better?

“Nooo.” Laurie whined, his breath rising rapidly into a fresh wave of overwhelmed hiccuping hysterics as he caught sight of me. “He saaaw!”

Taylor’s face was a jumble of confused emotions, seemingly caught between chewing me out and just bundling me out of the room as soon as possible. That was when the idea came to me. I didn’t hesitate, I didn’t think, I just blurted it out - trying to sound as confident as could be.

“I’m here to put on my nighttime undies.” I declared to the two of them.

Laurie stopped mid sniffle, staring uncertainly at me through his bleary eyes. “You-you are?” He asked.

“Yeah.” I confirmed. What was I doing? I was only trying to make him feel better, and it’d been the only thing I could think to say, but now the gravity of my decision was starting to nag at me despite my sugar-fueled confidence.

Taylor gave me a long stare for a moment, like he was still processing what was going on. “You’re nighttime undies?” he repeated hesitantly, looking at me with a skeptical sympathetic frown as if offering a path for me to back out of the bizarre deception.

It only took one look at Laurie’s scared befuddled face for me to reaffirm my decision. “I thought I was the only one who wore ‘em.” I added, trying to lend myself some credibility. I knew I was only digging a deeper hole - but it was all for Laurie’s sake.

“I-I thought I was the only one.” Laurie echoed, now sheepishly tugging his yellow shirt over the nighttime protection.

“It’s not a big deal.” I shrugged, trying to encourage Laurie but also shoring up my own nerves about the whole thing. “Everyone’s worn them at some point anyway.”

Laurie nodded at my logic. I could see the tension in him leaving now that he had a partner in crime - if you could call bedwetting a crime. The way some of the bigger kids might have treated him if they found out, it might as well have been .

Taylor let out a deep breath, looking just as relieved as Laurie. For a dreadful moment, I wondered if my acting had been too good, and that the scout master was just as convinced as my fellow brain tail that I wet the bed! My fears were soon calmed however, Taylor offering me a knowing wink as he knelt down purposefully beside me. “Right.” He announced with a tone of authority, acting like this had always been the plan. “Let’s get you ready for bed too then.” He rested a hand on my shoulder and gave it a squeeze, leading me over to the bunk I shared with Laurie.

Laurie speedily dug a matching pair of the yellow pull up diapers from his backpack while I climbed the ladder to retrieve my pajamas. I had packed my bag myself, but Mom still bought all my clothes from the “younger boys” section of the kids department - plus she insisted I wear something warm at night. I took out one of her more recent purchases - a fleece pair of pants and matching long sleeve shirt. They were dark blue, decorated all over with a yellow stars and moons pattern. They were hardly very grown up, but given the other babyish articles lurking in my closet, I had decided that they were my least worst option for pajamas.

By the time I returned to the bottom bunk, Taylor had the second pullup Laurie had fetched stretched out ominously between two strong fingers. Now fully dressed in his yellow pajamas, the little boy was bouncing anxiously from foot to foot beside him. Five-year-old emotions volatile as ever, he still looked rather sulky, but compared to just 10 seconds earlier his mood had shot through the roof! I gulped. I couldn’t back out now, but the fact that I would actually be wearing a diaper was now fully dawning on me. “I take it you don’t need help?” Taylor asked.

I took the crinkly underwear from him and sucked in a nervous breath. Why was I doing this? I looked at Laurie’s face, the smallest of smiles cracking his pout. I let out the breath. “I can do it.” I told him. After all, It wasn’t like anyone else would know.

I took off my shorts, mud stained from the day’s activities, revealing the bright red piped white briefs I was wearing below. Despite everything, I couldn’t help but blush slightly at my state of undress. I turned around and quickly removed the underwear, unfolding the crinkly package to reveal the cartoon animal smiling at me on the front of the diaper - a fuzzy yellow duckling, this time. I awkwardly stepped into the pull up, pulling it swiftly up my legs. It had been years since I had worn anything nearly so babyish, but they still fit perfectly. Was I really so little? No - these things were made for big kids, right? I had to admit the patterns were rather toddler-esque, however - even in comparison to the bedwetting pants I myself had worn at age five. It was one thing to be sporting Spider-man and skateboards on your tush, it was quite another to be seen with a duckling on your diaper!.

“See, all done.” I told Taylor proudly and started to work my pajama pants up my legs. Unfortunately, the bulge of the diaper was still plenty noticeable in the brightly lit dorm room, but I put it to the back of my mind. No one would notice, surely - especially outside in the dark. I changed out of the beaver vest, pulling on the rest of my bedtime clothes.

“I think you two can have a little more time by the fire, but it’ll be bedtime soon.” Taylor told us.

Laurie snatched my hand without me noticing, pulling me toward the door. Despite our padding, the little boy was all too eager to indulge in some late night sugary snacks before being ushered off to dreamland. “You can’t tell anyone Cooper.” Laurie whispered to me, pointing secretively at the subtle bulge at the back of my pajama pants.

I snorted. As if I was going to tell anyone about this! “It will be our secret.” I whispered back to him. Satisfied, he continued to pull me along - rushing back over to the campfire.

Sitting back next to Bradley, I couldn’t help but blush. He was chatting away convivially in my ear, but all I could manage was the occasional nod or hum of agreement - constantly distracted by the unfamiliar ruffly bulk between my legs and the occasional rustle of papery padding I was convinced everyone around the campfire could hear just as well as me. Laurie, meanwhile, seemed entirely carefree - having instantly recovered from his minor emotional meltdown. Looking at the little boy skipping and jumping between the shifting shadows cast by the dancing flames only made me more anxious. My eyes widened as round as golf balls when I caught a glimpse of his bright blue pull-up beneath his pajama pants. Wasn’t he worried that someone might see? But no - he was more concerned with chasing Ari between the timber logs that served as our benches, any fleeting embarrassment quickly forgotten in favor of rambunctious play.

Just a little while later, Taylor stood up in front of the fire - a purposeful clap of his hands drawing all our attention. After a few boring formalities, mostly just restatements of the campsite rules that had been drilled into us from the moment of our arrival, the night was drawn to a close; with us beavers ushered back to our cabin while the “big kids” stayed around the campfire. I felt another flush of embarrassment as Bradley patted me on the shoulder and wished me a goodnight, but the Beavers trotted off without complaint - myself included. Afterall, we had a plan!