Busy, busy, busy

"Alexa. Wake up." Carol said, shaking the sleepwalking Alexa once more. It had happened again, the same spot as the night before, all with Alexa being woken up by a tickle of the sides.

Carol sighed, amused at the girls antics in the night, but wondering if maybe she needed to see a sleep doctor or something of the like. Her thoughts ended as she fell back asleep with Alexa cuddled like a teddy bear in her arms.

However, her peaceful rest was interrupted by aloud thud, and a groan from Alexa as she recovered from hitting the floor. It awoke Carol enough to pull the girl up onto the bed and back to safety.

Alexa put her head into her hands, the stress flowing out of her brain after a long day of work. She had been working since sunrise, and now she was finally done. Documents to sign, a new person to train on her job, another batch of documents to sign, international paperwork so she could stay in the country. All of it took her attention, and made it quite impossible for her get up and enjoy the day like she wished.

Carol had supported the girl throughout the work day, bringing her breakfast, a few snacks, and only tearing her away at lunch.

A phonecall from Mr. Yawena broke up the monotony. "Miss Johnson, more good news. You've been selected by our company to be sponsored to get your Masters. Apologies, I will give you more details in an email tomorrow, but congratulations. You deserve it." His call was quick, his voice evident with tiredness. Alexa was too busy to make much of the phonecall.

Eventually, however, the tidal wave of work wavered and in the late afternoon, Alexa closed her final laptop tab. What a relief it was to be done for the weekend.

Overcome by the combined hours of food and water she had consumed, the first thing she did was rush to the bathroom. Making it was easy enough, but the subsequent semi-streaking throughout the house to find Carol was not great. She found her downstairs, toying with some food, and on the phone with her husband. The mom got the message as Alexa pointed to her diaper.

"Right hun. Another three weeks you say?" Carol said on the phone, shaking her head in obvious anger. She pressed the mute button. "Clothes off sweetie."

Alexa stripped herself in front of Carol, laying on the changing mat. She spread the cream aggressively all over her body as she talked over the phone, she temper worsening and worsening, and Alexa yelped in pain as Carol accidently scratched her.

"Sorry..." Carol whispered. Alexa waited, and soon, Carol just as aggressively strapped her into the diaper, tightening it around her waist. She finished the phone call just as she was finishing getting Alexa changed.

"Everything okay? Um....that was a pretty violent change." Alexa said, not knowing the word to use.

"No, Paul is spending our anniversary working. Sorry, I really didn't mean to scratch you there. Here, let's get you dressed. I have something I wanted to talk to you about." Carol said, pulling Alexa up by her shoulders. "Don't protest or cry foul, but I scheduled you for a family doctor. Sleepwalking and falling out of bed are definitely not normal."

"I...thanks Carol." Alexa said, surprised at the turn of events. She hated doctors. Absolutely hated medical stuff. "I should be fine..."

"Shush. You need it. The appointment is today, so let's get dressed and head there." Carol said.

Alexa remembered why she hated doctors offices, and thankfully, this clinic was nothing like her old ones. Modern looking, very private, and not questioning her maturity. In fact, the doctor had done nothing but treat her like an adult, which made her more willing to listen.

"Miss Johnson, sleepwalking is not a normal behavior, nor is falling off the edge of your bed. Now, tell me, have you ever had any problems with staying asleep before?" The wise looking old man asked.

Alexa replied and kept a good dialogue between herself and the doctor; Carol watched as Alexa swung her feet to and fro on the medical examiantion board, her shortfalls' making her look plain adorable.

"Alright. I'm glad I could get a grasp on the situation. I'll be back in a second. If you could, please take your clothes off and put on a medical robe, I just want to do a few tests." He said, leaving the room. Freezing in place, Alexa was guided by Carol through the process of changing, shame faced the entire time.

His tests were purely professional, and he made no mention of the obvious diaper or cover. At the end, after he had given Alexa time to change, he spoke up, seeming ready to diagnose her problem. "So, Miss Johnson, I can't tell exactly what's wrong with you..." He said, making Alexa feel better. Good, no medicine! "But, I do have a few medicines that I think could help you with your sleeping problem."

She was prescribed some sleeping aids, and muscle relaxants, all in the hope to keep her asleep and not lucid. After he had read about the medicine, he coughed a bit, moving onto another section of the paper.

"While this treatment proposal certainly couldn't be tried for every patient, might I also suggest staying in a confined space with no ability roll out? Until you start to see changes from the medicine, that is."

"You mean a crib." Alexa replied, horrified she was even hearing these words.

"While, cribs are for children, I was just saying a confined space. But if you'd prefer that terminology, then yes, a crib might help." The doctor said to a shocked Alexa. He could tell she did not appreciate his suggestion. "I'm just recommending this. No need to go out and buy one right away if you don't feel comfortable."

Alexa nodded. What a ridiculous idea. She'd never buy a crib. Medicine, gross as it was, would be better.

Her earlier thoughts in the doctors office were correct, Alexa angrily huffed to herself. She'd never buy herself a crib. Carol certainly would, however.

"Carol. Please. Please. I really don't want this." Alexa pleaded with Carol as they went down an aisle at a children's store. "I won't even fit!"

"Alexa. Just try it out for one night. I'll take it back if it doesn't work." Carol said, putting her best de-escalation voice on.

"I....I'll be nothing but a baby in a crib!" Alexa whined, breaking into a set of tears as she stomped her foot. Stopping the cart, Carol soothed the sobbing girl, letting her sob until she ran out of tears.

Her trunk was backed with the crib. Alexa was moody, and only in a minorly better mood from ice cream.

Carol had put a movie on, distracting Alexa as she set the crib up. It was the largest she could find, and even then, she doubted it could fit the adult in her basement right now. Pity filled her heart. She understood Alexa's pain, but her genuine worry overrode that sympathy. What stopped the next time she fell from being when she got a concussion?

Ordering Alexa's favorite takeout, Carol relaxed after setting up the crib in Alexa's room, making sure the plastic sheets were on tight. Observing the girl in her pajamas, Carol felt right in what she had done, knowing Alexa needed help with her problems, help beyond just herself. The two of them were beyond wasted by the time they were ready for bed, celebrating a long week, and Alexa's new job. Stumbling upstairs, Carol **** Alexa to hold still as she stumbled through putting curlers in her hair, and changing her diaper.

Alexa was too tired to protest, work having taken more out of her then she realized. What she did protest was when Carol tugged her towards the crib, helping her get in.

"Nooooooooooo. Carol, not happening." Alexa said, squirming out from under Carol's grasp.

"Lex....just try it out. You'll be comfy!" Carol said, voice slurred. Alexa's squirming stopped, and she lightly tripped, allowing Carol the leverage to **** her into the crib. Her desire for sleep overrode any more qualms she had, and Carol made sure the girl was comfortable. Sleep soon overtook her as well.