Secrets in A Small Town

18

Brooke let's Cade sleep for quite a while. Not like they have anything better to do anyway. She is careful to keep the room quiet.

It's been nearly two hours and Cade hasn't moved a muscle. It's pushing 5. Brooke's stomach is growling. She sits down next to him, rubbing his back.

"Hey honey." She says softly.

Cade mumbles, turning from his stomach onto his back.

"Did you have a good nap?"

Cade smiles at her so innocently, brown eyes glimmering, shy smile peeking through.

He nods and pulls her in for a hug.

"Wanna go get some supper?"

"Sure." He stretches.

Brooke stands up, throwing Cade a pair of jeans. He looks at them and then at his bag then at the jeans again.

She gets a pair of underwear and slides them on. She doesn't argue.

"Where do you wanna go?" He asks, both knowing they have no idea where anything is in this town.

"I don't know. I guess walk around until we find something again." Brooke answers.

Cade slips his wallet into his pocket anf heads for the door.

"Um, hun?" Brooke asks.

"Do you wanna go to the bathroom before we leave?" She asks as nonchalantly as possible.

Cade blushes a bit.

"Yeah that might be a good idea."

Cade walks into the bathroom, not bothering to shut the door behind him. He stands there for a while but she doesn't hear anything. Cade eventually gives up and pulls his pants back on.

"Nothing is coming out." He says seeming a little worried.

"Well, that's okay. If you need to go we will find one along the way." She reassures.

As they start walking she realizes that has never happened before. Cade has never not been able to pee, especially after two hours. She chalks it up to the heat and sweating everything out. So she lets it go.

They walk the other way this time. It's still pushing 90°, so they settle on an uptown grille close to the hotel. It's pretty barren, which isn't all that surprising for a Sunday night.

They order their food and Cade seems uneasy. He isn't squirming, but zoning out.

"Is something bothering you?" Brooke finally asks.

"No." He says simply.

She leaves it be. They finish thier supper and start the short walk back. Cade is still seeming kind of out of it when he stops where he is at and stands still. The streets are pretty empty so Brooke notices his absence immediately. It's pretty clear what is going on by the look of his face. He is looking dead ahead but not at anything in particular.

She notices a dark stain growing between his legs, it goes all the way down to his shoes. His jeans are a light wash and really noticeable.

Cade looks like he is about to cry.

Brooke takes his hand.

"It's okay." She says, leading him to the hotel. People definetly notice, and where the stain is, it's unmistakable.

A group of girls, a little younger than they are point and laugh.

A tear drips hot down Cade's face, bringing back a sudden rush of memories. He grew up like this. Brooke is pulling him at an almost jogging speed.

They rush to the elevator once they reach the hotel. It's empty, thank God. Brooke immedietly pulls Cade into her. He is falling apart.

"We don't know these people. It's okay." She tries to consol.

Cade is sobbing full force by the time they reach the room.

Brooke doesn't even think before sitting on the bed and pulling him into her lap. He straddles her body. She pushes his head into her neck, rocking gently.

She tries to think what she would say to comfort a child.

"It was just an accident. It's not a big deal."

Cade cries for a while, which she kind of expected. Her lap is soaked, but she holds him anyway. Soon his sobs quiet into a hushed cry.

"I've got you. It's okay." She consols.

Cade sits up.

"I'm sorry." He spudders.

"Got you all wet."

"Hey, hey, don't worry about it." She wipes the tears off his cheeks.

"You have nothing to be sorry about." She hugs him, kisses the crease of his neck.

Cade stands up. His legs pop. Brooke stands up too.

"Let me help you."

Cade stands up, not exactly knowing what to do. Brooke turns around, running the bath water and adjusting it to the right temperature.

Then she turns back to Cade. She carefully unbuttons his jeans and hooks her fingers in the belt loops. She struggles to pull them down around his clammy skin. She pulls the diaper right off with it. It is absolutely drenched. He must have had a full bladder when he wet.

She walks into the bathroom and comes out with a wet rag. She gently dabs around Cades privates, the rash is awful.

She slides her own clothes off, stepping in first. The bathtub is hardly smaller than the hot tub down stairs.

She invites Cade in once she is settled.

Cade sits down between her legs, resting his head back on her boobs. Once the water is high enough, she turns the jets on. She runs her fingers through his hair. It's greasy, probably from all the sweat today. She tugs at it gently.

"Brooke?" He says out of the blue.

"What?"

He seems to think for a second but decides against talking.

"Nothing."

She kisses the side of his head.

"Just relax, love."

She leans her head back too. It is quiet relaxing, the jets massaging her back.

It's Cade who makes the first step to get out 30 minutes later.

Brooke follows his lead, draining the bathtub behind her. Cade is dabbing himself off with a towel, making a cringing face.

"Are you okay?" She asks, looking like he is in a lot of pain.

He bites his lip and removes the towel. The rash is a deep deep red, almost purple, bubbling up on his crotch and legs.

"It really burns." His bottom lip starts quivering.

Brooke's mouth falls open.

"Cade, that's not a rash, that's a chemical burn."

"What does that mean?"

She ignores him, pulling his wet underwear from his jeans. It's squishy.

"See this stuff." She pulls away some of the leaking jelly balls.

"This is what they use to absorb the pee, it's got all kinds of chemicals in it. This one ripped and got them all over you." She notices the little globs all over his underwear and jeans.

"I think you need to go to the doctor."

"No way." He says, trying not to cry.

"Cade, this isn't something lotion is going to fix. It's going to get infected."

Cade looks at her desperately.

"Can't we just get some diaper cream or something?"

"Honey, that's for rashes. This is really serious."

Cade doesn't argue with her any more.

"Here, put these on." She hands him the sweatpants he wore on the plane.

"What if I have an accident?" He says.

"Cade, you can't wear these. Look what they did to you."

Brooke slides the pants over him as gently as possible. He grits his teeth and groans.

She quickly throws on her clothes and they head out the door. Cade can hardly walk, trying to avoid his legs scraping together. Cade isn't trying to hold back his tears anymore by the time they get downstairs.

They get a taxi and tell them to go to the hospital. The man doesn't ask, luckily.

It's located in the central part of town, close to where they are.

He drops them off at the walk in clinic. Brooke holds Cade's arm as they hobble in.

A nurse immedietly greets them at the door.

"Are you okay, sir?" She asks.

"He has a chemical burn all over his....area." Brooke answers.

They help Cade hobble into a room and rest him on the bed.

The nurse takes a clip board off the wall.

Cade relaxes a little, breathing heavily.

"Would you mind telling me what happened?" She asks.

Cade looks mortified. He looks up at Brooke, who, after a long pause looks at her too.

"He has...urinary incontinence issues. So he wears a diaper sometimes and it broke open today and left him with this burn."

She doesn't seem the least bit fazed.

"Do you mind if I take a look?" She asks.

Cade looks af Brooke again.

"It's okay, honey."

She helps Cade slide his pants down without touching the area.

"Ouch," the nurse says, writing on the paper.

"Let me go get the doctor. Just stay just like that."

She shuts the door as she leaves.

"This is humiliating." Cade cries.

She doesn't doubt that one little bit.

The doctor is quick in coming in. He must already know what is going on because he doesn't look surprised either.

"Alright, Mr. Belmount. I hear you have a little rash going on here. Let's take a look."

He steps to the bed. Cade closes his eyes, face red as a tomato.

"You've got yourself a pretty nasty chemical burn. What kind of diapers were you wearing?"

Brooke slings off her back pack, handing him a clean pair.

"Ah, this is actually a fairly common issue with these. You see, when a diaper is made of cotton, it eventually becomes stretched out, releasing the jelly matter. Not dangerous, but can be very painful. We will get you some cream and in a few days it will subside. I dont suggest wearing these anymore though. Or it will likely happen again."

"I need them though." Cade gasps.

"Relax, Pal." The doctor laughs.

"Just go with the disposables. They're much safer."

Cade nods, not exactly satisfied with the answer but doesn't argue.

"We're supposed to be on a plane tomorrow. We're not from here."

"Well, you can leave that up to Caden here if he is able to travel. Where are you from?"

"Idaho." She says.

"Ah. Well, let me go get you some of that cream."

Cade pulls his pants back up.

"Think you'll be able to fly tomorrow?" She asks.

Cade shrugs.

"I don't know, but I really need to to potty." Cade says. His hand is lingering over his d**k, but not touching.

"Can you wait til the doctor gets back?" She knows Cade really can't.

She does notice he has never used that word before when referring to the bathroom. She ignores it and walks out of the room too. She stops the same nurse who helped them when they got here.

"Do you have a restoom he can use quickly?"

The nurse smiles and opens a door a little down the hall.

"Thank you."

She walks back into Cade's room, where the doctor must have slipped in.

She can tell immedietly Cade is on the verge of wetting himself.

"Apply this as needed and that oughta be gone before you know it. You can go ahead and apply some now, help you get out of here. Also, maybe start using diaper rash creme and powder to keep those rashes down"

The doctor excuses himself and turns back toward the door.

"Come on." Brooke helps him down.

"I really need to go, Brooke."

"The bathroom is right out here. Just hang on."

Cade does. He waddles as fast as he can to the toilet and let's go. A few dribbles escape before he can get his wiener out, but he doesn't seem to notice.

When he is done, Brooke pulls his pants down, applying the cream to the burns. Cade sighs in relief.

"Feel better?" She asks.

Cade nods. He is able to walk out with little trouble. There is already an Uber waiting outside.

They slide in.

"To the Super Market?" A man with a heavy accent asks.

"Yes, please." Brooke says.

"Why?" Cade asks.

"We're gonna go get you some-" she motions to his crotch.

"That won't hurt you."

Cade looks like he wants to fight, but he doesn't.

The store is pretty empty, aside from workers stocking shelves. It makes it pretty easy to scan through the diapers.

"I don't know about this...." Cade says nervously.

"Do you not want them?" Brooke asks.

"I do, just, what if someone sees them?"

"You can wear your boxers over them."

Cade nods.

"These ones?" Brooke holds up a green package. They're his size and extra absorbent.

"Sure." Cade says, just wanting out of this isle.

Brooke walks into the baby section, picking up two tubes of generic diaper rash cream and a bottle of powder. Cade tries to act casual, even though no one is looking.

They go through the self check out, despite no one being in the other lanes. The Uber driver had agreed to wait for them. Cade is still walking very slow, careful not to touch his legs together.

They get back in the car where he brings them back to thier hotel. They tip him and head upstairs. The whole place is as empty as it's been the whole time they've been here, so no one is even paying attention to the hobbling Cade.

Once they get upstairs, Cade immedietly rips his pants off, blowing on himself.

"Still burn?"

"Yeah." Cade grunts.

"It does look a little better." Brooke inspects. The bubbles have gone down, leaving a big burgundy mark.

"I am tired. Can we go to bed?"

Brooke nods.

"Yeah, we can do that."

"What am I supposed to do?" Cade asks.

"What do you mean?"

Cade looks at his naked body.

"I think I need a -thing- to sleep. I don't wanna wet this bed."

"Right. I will help you."

She opens up the package. These are definelty not as discreet as the other ones. They are white and puffy all around, aside from the elastic side bands.

Cade's face turns very very red.

"It's okay." Brooke assures.

Cade is already laying down and suddenly she feels awkward.

"Let me put a little more of that cream on before." She takes the bottle, dabbing it gently across his crotch area.

Then she pours a considerable amount of powder into the diaper.

She slides it on over his legs. It fits him like a glove, not even squealing as it slides over the burn.

She takes it one step further by pulling him up and putting him under the covers.

"I'm gonna go to the bathroom and I will come cuddle you." She kisses him on the forehead. He looks up at her, sweet, tired puppy dog eyes.

She goes to the bathroom and changes into her tank top, setting an alarm for 7:00. Their flight leaves at 10:05 but getting through security in an airport as big as Phoenix could take a while.

Cade is waiting for her when she gets back. She settles into the pillow, opening her arms. Cade slips into them, closing his eyes, smile on his face.

'Maybe this won't be so bad afterall' she thinks before drifting off to sleep.