circle time

A gentle chime rang through the nursery, signaling a transition. The caretakers moved seamlessly, guiding the ‘littles’ toward a large, colorful rug in the center of the room. The pattern was bright and playful, covered in shapes and cartoon animals, perfectly suited for toddlers—not for adults who had once been university students like Lilly.

"Alright, little ones, it’s time for circle time!” A warm, cheery voice called out.

Lilly turned to see a young woman with a kind smile and a pastel-colored cardigan standing in the middle of the rug. She had the air of a preschool teacher—gentle, patient, but with an undeniable authority.

The other littles, even the ones who had been playing, immediately obeyed. The girl in the locking shortalls sat with a quiet, **** pout, crossing her arms. The regressed girl in the pink shirt giggled, plopping down happily without a care, her thick nappy on full display as she kicked her legs. The boy with the bottle was gently lowered onto the rug, still sucking absentmindedly, his drowsy eyes flickering open as he realized what was happening.

Lilly hesitated, shifting awkwardly. She didn’t want to sit. She didn’t want to participate. But a firm but gentle hand guided her downward, and before she knew it, she was seated among them, the thick bulk of her nappy pressing against the soft rug beneath her.

“There we go, everyone’s here!” the teacher said brightly. “Welcome to your very first circle time in the nursery! My name is Miss Emily, and I’m so excited to have you all here.”

Lilly swallowed hard, her hands clenching into fists in her lap. She couldn’t believe this was happening. This wasn’t school. This wasn’t a lecture hall. This was storytime for toddlers.

Miss Emily clapped her hands together. “Now, before we get started, let’s go around the circle and introduce ourselves! I want each of you to tell me your name and a fun fact about yourself. I’ll start!”

She turned slightly to the side, smiling. “My name is Miss Emily, and my fun fact is that I love to bake cookies! Now, who’s next?” She looked expectantly around the circle before landing on the boy in just his nappy and shirt.

The boy blinked, still lazily sucking his bottle. A caretaker gently nudged him, and with a soft pop, he pulled the bottle from his lips. “Uhm…” His voice was sleepy, shy. “I’m Jamie… and I, um… I like dinosaurs.”

“Wonderful, Jamie!” Miss Emily beamed. “I bet you’ll love our dinosaur toys later.”

The next little was the regressed girl in the pink shirt. She didn’t hesitate at all. “I’m Bella!” she chirped, bouncing slightly, her short skirt riding up completely, not that she seemed to notice or care. “And I love my stuffie Mr. Bun-Bun!” She hugged the plush rabbit tightly, her grin wide and carefree.

Miss Emily chuckled. “That’s a great fun fact, Bella! Mr. Bun-Bun looks like a very good friend.”

Then came the girl in locking shortalls. She sat stiffly, her arms still crossed, her cheeks pink. “I’m Hailey,” she muttered, barely meeting anyone’s gaze. “And… I don’t want to be here.”

Miss Emily gave her an understanding nod, but her smile didn’t fade. “Thank you for sharing, Hailey! It’s okay to have big feelings about all this, but I promise, we’re going to make sure you feel safe and cared for.”

Then, all eyes were on Lilly.

Her breath caught. Her heart pounded.

She wanted to refuse. She wanted to scream. But Miss Emily’s expectant gaze—gentle but firm—made it clear that wasn’t an option.

“I…” Her voice wobbled. “I’m… Lilly.”

“And what’s a fun fact about you, Lilly?” Miss Emily asked.

A lump formed in her throat. A fun fact? There was nothing fun about this. She felt like a trapped animal, sitting here in her humiliating, crinkly nappy, surrounded by giggling, babbling littles who had already accepted their fate.

But she couldn’t sit in silence forever.

“I… I used to go to university,” she mumbled, barely above a whisper.

There was a brief pause, a flicker of something in Miss Emily’s eyes—sympathy? Amusement? Lilly wasn’t sure—but the woman simply nodded. “That’s wonderful, Lilly. Learning is so important, no matter where we are.”

Lilly clenched her fists tighter.