“Mmmmm...ehhhh...” He sighed a minute later once he finished, his tummy stable again.

“Kyle...do you need changing?” Corrine coyly asked.

“Um...y-yeah...” He could not look her in the eye.

“Well, it’s getting late anyway...we can finish the movie another time.”

“Alright...”

Corrine switched the movie off, and brought Kyle to his room; all the while, he couldn’t help but look down at his slightly-saggy diaper, blushing from embarrassment. Once on the changing table, he was cleaned up as usual, but there was one noticeable difference...

“Where’re you going?” Kyle asked when Corrine didn’t put a new diaper onto him.

“To fill the bathtub, silly!” she answered.

“Oh!”

It took Corrine about a minute to get the tub running; Kyle could hear the rushing water from the changing table.

“Okay, this way!”

His lower half bare, Kyle followed her out of the room and into the nearby bathroom; the scent of lavender was in the air, and it had a calming effect.

“So nice...” Kyle sighed with a smile, his eyes closed.

“Hop on in!”

He took off the last article of clothing, his striped shirt, and entered the warm, bubbly tub.

“Hmmmmmm...” Kyle contently sighed as he sat down, the water coming up to his mid-torso.

“Let’s get you all cleaned up!” Corrine spoke as she poured the water over his head.

“Heh heh ha ha! It’s like a waterfall!”

“Exactly! But waterfalls are usually really cold.”

“Then it’s a warm waterfall!”

Corrine hummed a tune as she wet Kyle’s hair then applied shampoo to his blond locks, while the bather played around with some of the toys in the tub. At the moment, he was busy pretending a rubber duck and a ship were locked in combat.

“The giant duck’s coming for us!” he spoke, pretending to be the ship’s crew.

“Quack!”

“Fire! Pew pew pshhhh! Pow! Bang!”

“Kyle, I need to wash your body now,” Corrine spoke, interrupting his ship battle.

“Okay...” He sighed, disappointed, as she began to scrub his body with a soap-filled body loofah.

(She’s so gentle...yet thorough too...it’s making me feel even better...)

“Aaaaaaaahhhhh...” Kyle was unable to stop himself from yawning. His eyes began to feel even heavier as well.

“I think someone’s getting sleepy...” Corrine playfully spoke.

“Yeah...” He slowly nodded as the soap was washed from his body.

“Don’t worry, though, I won’t skip out on story time!”

“Huh...? Oh, right...”

“Okay, time to get out!”

Kyle stepped out of the tub and was dried off by his “mommy”; while he didn’t really object to it, he didn’t feel completely comfortable about Corrine drying his lower half.

“Mom...!” he whined.

“I need to make sure my little boy’s all dry!”

“I know...”

Once Corrine was done, she led Kyle back into his room and onto the changing table, gently fastening a new diaper onto him and softly brushing his hair.

“How’s this, sweetie?” Corrine spoke, showing him light blue footies.

“That’s good!” He smiled.

“Then on we go!”

She slid the footies onto Kyle, putting his arms through the sleeves and buttoning up the center.

“My, you look so handsome!” Corrine cooed. “You’re so adorable!”

“Heh heh...thanks...” Kyle blushed as he got up from the changing table.

“Now, over here...”

He walked over to the rocking chair next to the table, sitting down in front of it as Corrine rested onto it. Kyle paid full, undivided attention to her tale:

“Now, this is the story of a little boy, who never knew true happiness. He would see it, sometimes feel it, but only briefly. The boy wished more than anything to be at peace. But no matter how hard he tried, or how long he waited, he could not find it. When he was a kid, he only had one parent, who loved him, yet wasn’t the best mommy. When he was an adult, he still could not find friends to keep him company when he felt lonely.”

Kyle gulped and bit his lip, still staring at Corrine.

“The boy, who was now a man, was a lost soul in this great big world, and had given up on finding happiness. He settled for an unhappy job, an unhappy home, and an unhappy life. Not even the few things that could relieve stress, like going out for a night on the town, made him feel any better, any more fulfilled.”

Tears began to well in his eyes, and his breathing quickened.

“Then, one day, when he had completely forgotten about true happiness, a guardian angel appeared. The man did not know she was an angel at first, but she led him to a special place, where happiness bloomed like flowers. He was in awe, and he was afraid. He did not trust the angel, and thought she was a demon in disguise. However, she proved to him that she was, in fact, an angel. She gently, softly, brought his head close to her chest, just like this...”

Corrine wrapped her arms around Kyle, his head buried in her chest. His eyes leaked, his breath shaky.

“...and he could feel her heart. A pure heart, one that only wished for his smile and laughter. And he realized that the angel would never allow him to be hurt, ever again.”

“Mommy...!”

“She kissed his head, just like this...” Corrine planted a kiss on the top of Kyle’s head.

“Mmmmm...!” He shook his head as a vortex of emotions raged within.

“And she whispered...‘I will always love and protect you, by dear little boy.’”

“All...awways?”

“Always.” Corrine nodded with a smile of utmost sincerity. “And at last, the man knew true happiness. The End.”

“Ha ha...ha ha ha!”

Kyle laughed through his tears, and it was a youthful, carefree laugh.

“Dat was a very happy story! But it was real sad at da beginning...”

“Yes.” Corrine nodded again. “But just remember, you will find your happiness, one day. Even if you forget all about it.”

“Yup!” Kyle joyously nodded.

“Are you happy, Kyle?”

“Absolutely! Kyle da happiest baby ever!” He knocked his knuckles together, grinning ear to ear.

“Mommy’s happy too!” Corrine smiled back. “I love you so much, Kyle...”

She left the seat and knelt down in front of him, bringing him into a tight hug.

“Kyle loves Mommy too! He loves her lots and lots!”

“My sweet little angel...”

They relinquished, smiling at one another with unending bliss.

“Ahhhhhh...Kyle sweepy...” He rubbed one of his eyes.

“It’s bedtime, sweetie...”

“I know...”

Corrine led her “son” to the crib, where he laid down onto the pillow. The covers were pulled over him, and Basil was tucked underneath one of his arms.

“Good night, Kyle...sweet dreams...” Corrine pecked him on the forehead.

“Nigh’-Nigh’ Mommy...” Kyle closed his eyes, snuggling his bunny companion.

Corrine turned off the light in the room, leaving only a nightlight in the corner closest to the crib as luminescence. She looked over at her “baby boy”, sighing in happiness at his resting, peaceful face.

(You don’t have to worry anymore, Kyle...Mommy’s here for you, always.)

And with that, she left the room and entered hers, right across from each other. Here, there was one last thing to do before heading to bed herself...

Dear Ms. Hayner,

Your son is not in any danger. He is with me. Kyle won’t be coming home anytime soon, but don’t worry - I’m capable of providing for him. He’s having a great time here, free from worry, stress, pain, suffering, and anguish. I know you might be angry and upset, but trust me, this is what’s best for him. He’ll never have to worry about anything ever again. I will be sending you pictures from time to time, if you so wish. It’s the least you deserve, being his birth mother.