Emily glanced at the clock as the early morning sun filtered through the curtains. It was already past eight, and she could hear the gentle snores of her little nephew, Tommy, from the next room. Last night had been a sleepover at her apartment, a special weekend planned to give her sister a much-needed break.
She padded softly to his room, pushing the door open to peek inside. Tommy, with his tousled hair and peaceful face, was a stark contrast to the energetic bundle of joy he would soon become once awake. Emily's gaze fell on the Spider-Man pull-up peeking out from under his blanket—a precaution for his occasional bedwetting. Deciding it was time to get him ready for breakfast, she gently shook his shoulder.
“Tommy, sweetie, it’s time to wake up,” she said softly.
Tommy stirred, rubbing his eyes. “Aunt Em, I'm still sleepy,” he mumbled, his voice groggy.
“I know, but let’s get you cleaned up and we can have some yummy pancakes,” Emily coaxed, helping him sit up.
As she helped him out of bed, a distinct smell wafted into the air, and Emily’s nose wrinkled slightly. It was clear that Tommy had more than just wet his pull-up. He looked embarrassed, his cheeks flushing with the realization of what had happened.
“Did you have an accident, sweetie?” Emily asked, keeping her tone light and non-judgmental.
Tommy nodded, looking down. “I’m sorry, Aunt Em. I didn’t mean to.”
“It’s okay, Tommy. Sometimes it happens,” Emily reassured him with a soft smile. “Let’s get you cleaned up.”
She led him to the bathroom, where she laid out the changing mat she had prepared just in case. “Okay, buddy, let's get this messy pull-up off you.”
Emily hesitated for a moment, realizing this would be messier than she expected. “You know what? I think I’ll need some gloves for this. It’s going to be a bit of a cleanup job,” she explained as she reached under the sink to pull out a box of disposable gloves.
Tommy looked curious. “But you don’t wear gloves when I just pee.”
“That’s true,” Emily responded as she pulled on a pair of disposable gloves. “When it’s just a little pee, it’s super quick to clean. But when it’s more like this, gloves help keep everything hygienic and tidy. Makes it easier for both of us!”
“Oh,” Tommy nodded, watching as she efficiently handled the situation.
Carefully, Emily opened the sides of the pull-up, easing it away from Tommy's body. As she cleaned him up with baby wipes, the glove brushed against a particularly messy spot, leaving a streak on her glove. She glanced at Tommy and chuckled lightly to keep the mood light. “See? That right there is why I use gloves,” she said, showing Tommy the glove before wiping it clean with a baby wipe.
“Miss Jenna at daycare wears gloves too when kids have accidents,” Tommy mentioned, trying to feel more at ease with the situation.
“Does she?” Emily smiled, tossing the soiled pull-up and wipes into a sealed bag. “Miss Jenna sounds smart. I bet she gets gloves messy sometimes, too, huh?”
“Yeah, she got poop on her gloves once and had to change them,” Tommy recalled, now more interested in the conversation than feeling embarrassed.
“Well, I’m glad I’m not the only one,” Emily laughed, making light of the cleanup. She finished tidying up Tommy, ensuring he was fresh and clean before helping him into new underwear and pants.
“There we go, all set! How about we go make those pancakes now?” Emily suggested, washing her hands and removing her gloves to throw them away.
“Yes, please!” Tommy beamed, all earlier discomfort forgotten as he ran to the kitchen, energized at the prospect of helping with breakfast.