The Bet - Chapter 60 (Tuesday – week 9 Part 2 of 6)

The Bet

By Karen Singer

Chapter 60 (Tuesday – week 9 Part 2 of 6)

     Chad woke up with his thumb in his mouth.  He felt groggy… and very wet all around the top of his legs.  Realizing he was sleeping on the expensive leather couch in Mel’s office, he quickly got up.  The leather looked just fine, but his dress was soaked… at least all the inner layers of his skirts.  He needed to change his diaper badly, but he didn’t have any more.  He left the room to find Mel.  He peeked into her office and didn’t see her.  He almost missed seeing Andrea sound asleep on the couch.  He walked through the building, but everything was totally quiet and still.  Having little choice, he went back to Mel’s office and knocked softly on the door to wake Andrea.

     Andrea came awake with a start.  “What?” she said before her mind could fully make sense of anything. 

      “I need some help,” Chad told her in his sissy voice, but without bothering to curtsey.

      “What?  Where’s Mel?” Andrea asked still totally groggy.

      “Not here,” Chad replied.  “I looked.”

     Andrea realized she had been sleeping soundly.  Mel must have gone and left them.  “So what’s happening?” Andrea asked, her brain only now beginning to function.

      “I’m leaking… badly!  I’ve been leaking for a while now, but I’m totally out of diapers.”

      “Out of…” Andrea started to say, but her brain managed to kick in enough to finally make sense of that.  “Don’t you have anymore?”

      “None.  I used them all yesterday.  I don’t thing Mel was planning on staying all night.”

     Andrea shook her head as she pried herself up from the sofa.  “No, I’m sure she wasn’t.  Is there anything else around that you can use?” she asked, trying to come to grips with this odd situation.

      “Not that I know of.”

      “So what do I need to do for you?” Andrea asked.  “I certainly don’t have any.”

      “Can you… maybe… go get me some?”

      “You can’t…  No, of course you can’t.”  She looked at him for a moment and realized she didn’t have much of a choice.  “Yeah, sure.  I’ll get you some.  What time is it anyway?”

     Mel arrived at the Hilton Hotel at about the same time as all too many others.  She parked her car and had a bit of a long walk to the lobby.  Along the way, one of Feinbaum’s other lawyers fell in beside her.  Did she get an approving look from him?  Must have been the hairclip.

      “That was good work,” the other lawyer said.  “A bit late, but good.”

      “I just hope it wasn’t too late!” Mel replied.

      “I took a look at some of those sections you dug out.  It’s amazing you managed to put that together the way you did.”

      “I had some help,” Mel replied.  “I missed it at first too.”

     Together, they followed many others into the hotel and down to the ballroom that had been transformed into one big meeting room with rows of chairs everywhere.  As she walked in, she could see several of Feinbaum’s staff members taping her papers to the walls on each side of the room.  Someone had made copies. 

     She stared around the room for a few moments, and had just decided to take a seat in the back, when Dick Feinbaum walked up to her.  “Mel, we need you up front today.  This way.”  Having little choice, she followed the handsome lawyer up toward the front of the room, not just to the front row of seats, but all the way up onto the stage where a long row of seats had been set up.  “Why don’t you take one of the seats at the end here,” Dick suggested.

      “You sure you want me up here?” Mel asked.

      “Definitely.  You found it!”

     Mel was left alone as he walked off.  She didn’t sit down right away, instead she found a place to stand that was a little more out of the way.  As she stood there watching everyone in the room, she noticed Slatter standing by one of the walls studying the papers that had been taped there.  He didn’t study them long.  With a sudden turn, he headed for the stage.  Something about the way he was moving gave her the impression that he was angry.  She jokingly wondered why that should be.  Slatter walked past her for the other side of the stage without saying a single word to anyone.  Mel supposed that if she were him, she would be angry as well.

     Many people came in.  A few she recognized, most she didn’t.  And the seats on the stage filled up about as fast as the seats in the rest of the room.  She finally sat down to blend in more with the rest of the people on the stage. 

     Finally, a man she didn’t recognize approached the podium and got everyone’s attention.  She soon found out that he was the president of the Sunshine Corporation.  He thanked everyone for coming, and then said.  “I understand that we have a last minute concern that needs to be addressed.  I’ll turn this over to Harry Feinbaum to fill us all in.”

     Harry Feinbaum took the stage, and immediately announced the cancellation of the signing – which brought a huge commotional sound from the audience.  As soon as the noise quieted down, he pronounced the contract as not only void, but unethical… which brought gasps from all around.  It was then that he turned toward Mel.  “Mel, you’re the one who found this, I think you deserve the honor of explaining to everyone the indignity of what the Sunshine Corporation has tried to put over on us. 

     Mel was flabbergasted!  She hadn’t been prepared to speak at all.  But this wasn’t the time to back down or even play the meek little miss.  Summoning all her strength and confidence, she stood up.  “Can I get a microphone down there?” she asked.

     Harry Feinbaum had already anticipated the question and pointed toward one of the hotel workers who was standing by with a hand held microphone.  Mel left the stage and walked down the wall.  She introduced herself and added a small apology for the late timing of this, explaining that she was very late coming into these proceedings so she didn’t have a lot of time with the contract before she found the problems. 

     She started at the left side of the papers and did her best to explain things as she quickly worked her way all the way across to the other end of the taped up pages.  She finally closed by saying that everyone could examine the pages for themselves after the meeting.  She handed the microphone back to the hotel worker and standing as straight as she could, proudly walked back to her seat on the stage. 

     It was the president of Sunshine who took the podium next.  “This meeting is now adjourned until we can further assess this situation.”  With that the room seemed to explode with noise and the meeting was over.

     Mel stood up, but she didn’t get a chance to leave the stage.  She spoke with more people than she could remember… or wanted to remember – a few who congratulated her, and some who condemned her.  But she held her ground and projected nothing but an air of total confidence, knowing that she was right… despite her weariness.

     There was one person she did remember talking with though, Richard Slatter himself walked up to her.  Mel noticed several others watching closely as he did. 

      “That was… rather amazing work,” Slatter said with a bite of contempt in his voice.  “I’m really surprised that ‘you’ managed to dig all that out.”

     All Mel could think about was the way this contemptible man had insulted her and her father.  Second rate?  Ha!  She drew herself up to her full height, glad for once for the four inch heels on her feet, and looked Slatter in the eye.  With a sneer on her face, she said, “Don’t piss me off, Slatter.  Turns out, I’m very good at putting men in their place… and keeping them there!  So don’t screw with me, or you’ll be sorry!”

     Slatter’s eyes narrowed as he stared back at her.  “I look forward to our next meeting.”  Without another word, he smiled and left.

     From a short distance away, Harry Feinbaum smiled. 

     Chad wiped the pee dripping down his leg again with another paper towel.  He had been staying in the little kitchenette just because he felt it was the safest place he could be so he wouldn’t ruin anything.  He was only glad that his massive skirts had absorbed what they did and the expensive furniture hadn’t been damaged. 

     In the quietness, he heard the door opening at the other end of the building. 

      “Sissy?” Andrea’s voice called out.

      “I’m back here!” Chad called.  He saw Andrea heading up the hallway, with several bags in her hands. 

      “There you are,” she said as she approached.  “I got you the diapers you wanted.” she held up one of the other bags in her hand.  “And I got us some breakfast too.”

     Chad was grateful for the breakfast, but he was more grateful for the diapers just then.  Not bothering to curtsey again, he thanked Andrea and grabbed the larger bag and headed straight back to the office where his other things were.  He managed to get his dress completely off, trying to watch where the wet sections touched anything.  He opened the bag of diapers and pulled one out… then, on a whim, he pulled out a second one.  No telling how long it would be before Mel got back… and he could really use a little more sleep. 

     Five minutes later, he was safely clad in two protective diapers.  He looked briefly at his dress and decided not to put it back on since it was so wet.  Clad in only his bra covering his glued on breast forms, his waist cincher, his diapers, and his pink high heels, he went back out of the room to find Andrea.  He didn’t have to look far as she had gone back to the sitting area in Mel’s office.  He was more than a bit embarrassed at how he was dressed as he walked in. 

     Andrea gave a start of surprise when she noticed him.  She had gotten used to seeing him in that ridiculous but delightful dress and to now see him this way…  “Those diapers look bulky?” she told him as she continued to look him over.  “Did I get you the wrong ones?” 

      “I used two,” Chad explained.  “I’m hoping I can get a little more sleep before Mel gets back.”

     Andrea nodded, and made a mental note that she wouldn’t be keeping track of his leaking anymore.  Besides, what would she put down about his last leaking time?  They had both been asleep!  “Breakfast biscuits are in the bag,” she told him.  “Help yourself.”

     Andrea had already started eating, so Chad pulled one of the biscuits out of the bag.  There was an extra cup of coffee on the table as well.  But did he dare take it?

     Andrea saw him looking at the coffee and not moving.  “I got it for you,” she said.  But then she realized something else.  “Oh, I take it you’re not supposed to drink it that way.”

      “I’m not sure,” Chad replied.  “She never really said anything about it, but I haven’t had anything to drink except from a baby bottle in a long time now.”

      “I won’t tell if you won’t,” Andrea replied as she picked up her sandwich and took a large bite.

     Chad was tempted, but what if Mel came back early?  He looked at the clock.  How long did these meetings last?  The one yesterday had been most of the day.  Feeling brave, he grabbed the hot cup and pulled it over toward the far corner of the coffee table along with the breakfast biscuit he had pulled out of the bag.  He sat in one of the chairs across from Andrea and started eating.  So good!  So good!  And it wasn’t baby food!

      “So your bet’s almost over?” Andrea asked, just trying to make a little conversation.

     Chad nodded as he chewed.  “Yeah.  I only have today, Wednesday, and Thursday, and then I can return to normal on Friday.”

      “And of course we’re all going to judge how you’re doing on Saturday,” Andrea added.

      “Yeah.  Hopefully I’ll be perfect by then and it will be a foregone conclusion before you even start.”

      “Or… you won’t be perfect and it will go the other way.”

     Chad looked at her for a moment.  Then he shook his head.  “It just won’t happen.”

      “Why not?”

      “Because it can’t!  You simply can’t make someone totally incontinent in only two months.  It can’t be done!”

      “And that’s what we’re going to find out on Saturday.”

      “Yes.  On Saturday!”

      “I guess we’ll see then.” Andrea replied.  She took another sip from her coffee.  “So it sounds like you still think you’re going to win.”

      “Yeah, I do.  At least… I’m pretty sure I will.”

     Andrea wasn’t sure why she asked her next question, it just kind of came out.  “But… do you really want to win?”

     That one caught Chad by surprise.  “What do you mean?  Of course I want to win.”

      “Well, I just thought that… of course I’m not really an expert on these things but… I mean… someone like you, someone with your… interests… I would think that they would really love what you’ve been doing with Mel and wouldn’t want it to stop.  I would think you would rather lose your bet instead of win.”

     Chad blushed as he thought about that.  He looked shyly down at the floor as he answered.  “There is that, of course.  I’ve been living a dream for the last two months.  A total dream.  I’ve done things I never thought I could ever do.  And many things I never dreamed of doing!  It’s been amazing!”  His voice became quieter.  “I’m going to miss it… terribly… without a doubt!”

      “But you do want it to end?  You still want to win?”

     He was longer answering than even he thought he would be.  “Yeah.  I guess so anyway.  All good things have to come to an end, don’t they?”  But deep inside, he started to wonder.  Did he really want to win this bet?  Was she suggesting that he should lose it – purposely?”

     Mel wasn’t sure if she was surprised or not when she saw Andrea’s car still in the parking lot.  She was glad though since it meant that Sissy wouldn’t be alone.  But then it was very possible that they were both still asleep.  She unlocked the door quietly and went inside.  She heard nothing until she got closer to her office, then she heard quiet voices. 

     She turned the corner into her office and saw both Andrea and Sissy sitting and talking with each other.  “I’m back,” she declared happily.

     Chad turned quickly, glad that he had already finished his breakfast and hoping Mel wouldn’t say anything about the regular cup of coffee still sitting on the coffee table in front of him instead of a bottle.

      “Wow!  Like your suit!” Andrea said.  “How did it go?”

     Mel smiled at Andrea’s compliment.  “Thanks,” she replied.  “And the meeting went fast!  And would you believe it, Feinbaum made me explain the whole thing in front of everyone!”

      “I’m not really surprised,” Andrea replied. 

      “Yeah, I guess I shouldn’t have been either, but I was.”  She came over and took the other empty chair.  She noticed the food bag on the table as well as the cup in front of Sissy.  She decided not to say anything.  “Anything left?” she asked.

      “Sorry,” Andrea replied.  “I didn’t know you would be back so soon.”

      “No matter,” Mel replied.  “I didn’t think I’d be back this soon either.”  She looked over toward Sissy.  “What happened to your dress?”

     Chad wasn’t sure if he should get up and curtsey before he spoke, but he took a chance and remained seated.  “It got… rather wet I’m afraid, while I was sleeping.  I only had the one diaper on and it leaked all over the place.  The dress absorbed it all though so nothing got ruined.”

      “I had to make an emergency trip to the pharmacy for him this morning,” Andrea told her.  “He woke me up because he was leaking so badly and didn’t have any more diapers with him.”

      “I went through a lot yesterday,” Chad added.  “I’m surprised I didn’t run out sooner.”

     Mel nodded.  “Thanks Andrea,” she replied.  “And it’s a good thing we put those extra diapers in your bag yesterday.  What time did you put that diaper on?”

     Chad looked a bit sheepish.  “Um…  About twenty minutes ago now, but…  I kind of didn’t expect you back yet and I was hoping to get some more sleep so… I’m wearing two diapers right now.”  He wasn’t sure if she would approve or not.

     Mel’s tired brain was a bit fogged so she simply stared at him for a moment before she could figure out how she should reply.  Finally, she simply gave in since it made perfect sense.  “Okay,” she finally said.  “Go get your things together and let’s go home.  I guess we both need a little more rest.”

     Once Chad had left, Mel got up from her seat and went over to sit down next to Andrea on the couch.  “Thanks again for all your help last night,” she told her.  “You don’t know how much I appreciate it.”

      “That’s what I’m here for,” Andrea replied happily. 

     Mel lowered her voice to almost a whisper.  “Well, once this deal finally goes through, and I expect it will, you can expect a rather large bonus check for your efforts.”

     Andrea was certainly happy to hear that!  “What about Sissy?” she asked quietly.  “He did more than I did.”

     Even quieter Mel replied, “He probably did more than me as well.  Don’t worry, he’s going to get a very nice bonus too, I just don’t want him to know about it until after this bet is over with.”

      “I’m glad… because he deserves it!”

     Mel nodded.  “Yeah, he certainly does.”

     In a more normal voice, Andrea asked, “So you think the deal will still go through?”

     Mel got up from her seat on the couch.  “Undoubtedly.  Green Growers still wants the cash and Sunshine still wants Green Growers.  The only question now will be if Sunshine will continue to play Green Grower’s game and leave the current board of directors alone, or if they’ll up the game with more money and simply buy them out forcibly.  That’s more what I expect.”

      “How long do you think?” Andrea asked as she saw Sissy coming back into the office.  He had his diaper bag, the new bag of diapers she had gotten him, his silly little purse, and his dress was draped over one arm.

      “I figure anywhere from one to three months,” Mel replied.  “It all depends on what they decide to do.”