Little Sister Briana (Chapters)

There was nothing worse than being lonely. Except, of course, being lonely and deserving it. Briana sat against the corner of her playpen and listlessly batted her stuffies back and forth. The Round Table of Cloudland had been demoted from proud knights to pillows, chew toys, and stuff to toss around the playpen.

All of them except Alanna. She sat on the other side of the playpen, perched on a cloud-blue blanket. Leading the Round Table made strong like Mom and Dad. She was a merciless lioness. Alanna didn’t blame Briana for what she’d done, but she insisted that the little girl take her punishment without complaint.

So she had. Briana had done her best to smile at anyone who came to visit her, saving the tears for the times that only the baby monitor was watching. Obviously Mom and Dad had the other monitor and knew she was crying, but she couldn’t keep from crying all the time.

“I was just trying to help.” Briana whispered to Alanna. She didn’t understand how it had gone so wrong. There was proof now that Beatrix was doing horrible stuff and they still couldn’t help Melody. What was the point of all the stupid grown up rules if you couldn’t help your big sibling?

In a soft sad voice, Briana sang the Cloudland Anthem to Alanna.

            There’s a place in my mind,

            No one knows where it hides,

            And my fantasy is flying,

            It’s a castle in the sky.

Her voice stilled after the first verse. She couldn’t bear to sing the parts about taking up her sword and fighting dragons right now. Briana sighed and crawled over to a different spot in the pen for some variety.

It’s not like she hadn’t had any visitors. All her roommates had come to see her. Even Gary had come, though just to fill in the babysitting schedule. She’d wanted to ask about Tamira, but Mom got angry every time her name was even mentioned. Briana didn’t have her phone to text anybody with.

There was one glaring hole in the list. Technically not all her roommates had visited, because Melody hadn’t. They weren’t even in the house. Nobody knew why, or would say, but Melody hadn’t been home in over a day.

That was her fault too, Briana guessed.

With a sigh, she flopped over on her back. Being grounded to her room was a really intense, little-time experience. Especially with Mom visiting her two or three times a day for snacks. If she wanted to she could easily let all her grown up thoughts melt away and be a babbling baby for while. It was hard not to, really.

That wouldn’t be facing up to her punishment though. Alanna would be disappointed in her. Briana would be failing her knighthood, again. Worst of all, she wouldn’t know when Melody came home.

The door opened and Briana eagerly spun around to see who it was. She didn’t have to fake a smile when she saw it was Mom. Since Briana’s promise to never run away, she felt like she needed Veronica around all the time.

“Hi there Bumblebri.” Veronica said. She was wearing fancy clothes, a pretty black dress with decoration on it and jewelry and stuff. It looked great, but it meant she was going out soon.

“Hi Mommy.” Briana said, pulling herself up to her knees on the side of the playpen.

“How are things going?” Veronica pulled a chair up to the playpen and gently rubbed Briana’s back.

“It’s okay.” Briana said, trying to make her voice as cheerful as possible.

“You having fun playing with your stuffies?” Veronica asked.

“Uh, not really.” Briana shrugged.

“Do you need something more enriching to do?” Veronica said. “I thought by now you’d be extremely little and the stuffies are usually all you want when you’re like that.”

“I want to be.” Briana said with a sigh. “But I can’t.”

“Oh?”

“It wouldn’t be right.” Briana said. “I’d be avoiding my punishment.”

Veronica’s brow furrowed. “You need some more activities for sure then. I don’t want you sitting here with nothing to do but to castigate yourself.”

“It’s okay.” Briana said. “I have a lot of stuff to think about. I’m not sorry that I tried to help Melody. But I am sorry that I made a lot of trouble and worry when I did.”

“You are such a good girl in your heart, do you know that, Briana?” Veronica asked.

“You think so?”

“I know so, darling.” Veronica leaned down to kiss Briana’s forehead, carefully so as not to smudge her lipstick. “I’m proud of the thinking you’re doing, and I’m proud of your good heart. I have to go to a meeting at school, but when I come back we’ll set you up with some games and coloring books.”

Briana looked over at Alanna, then back up at Veronica. “It’s okay. I know I did a bad thing.”

“There’s a fine line between processing a mistake you made and hurting yourself.” Veronica said. “I don’t want you having nothing to do and getting depressed. I’ll read you a story tonight too, okay?”

That made Briana light up genuinely. The holidays had been way too busy for nighttime stories. “Can it be the first Alanna book?”

“Again?” Veronica asked. “We never got further than the third book. We could finish the series.”

“I want to start over.” Briana said.

“We can do that. I’ll make sure that I make time so we can finish this time.”

“Is Dad going with you to the party?” Briana asked.

“No, she’s going to be here. It’s a work meeting, Jane isn’t invited.”

“Mom.” Briana said, leaning on Veronica’s knees through the playpen mesh. “When you have time can we think of ways to help Melody?”

“Sweetie, Melody has to ask us for help with this.”

“But what if the whole thing they need help with is asking for help?”

“That’s one of the hard things about helping someone who’s grown up.” Veronica said. “Sometimes you can’t.”

“But, they aren’t grown up, are they?” Briana looked up, meeting Veronica’s gaze.

“Well, Melody and I don’t have the same kind of relationship that I do with you.” Veronica said. There was doubt in her voice and uncertainty in her expression.

“You do kind of.” Briana pressed. “You didn’t with me, until it happened.”

“I – would like to be doing more than I am doing.” Veronica said. “I guess we can have this discussion, since you’re feeling pretty grown up right now. I tried to start that conversation with Melody, and their response was to stay with a friend instead of here.”

“That’s why they aren’t here?” Briana frowned. “That just proves that they need help to get help!”

“I agree with you.” Veronica said. “I don’t want to push them away. Then they’d really be on their own.”

“Then I’ll do it!” Briana said. “They won’t run away from me.”

“Are you sure?” Veronica said in a cautionary tone. “I didn’t expect that big of a reaction from my message either.”

“I’m sure.” Briana said. “I’m going to tell them that I love them, that they’re my big sibling, and that we want to help.”

“That could be a lot to put on Melody all at once.”

“They have to know.” Briana said. “Mom, Melody has to know that they’re family. No guessing, no maybe. They’re super bad at believing that someone cares about them.”

Veronica smiled fondly. “You are amazing. If anyone can do it, you can. Just – don’t force Melody into anything, okay? Encourage, but don’t demand. Support, but don’t make choices for them.”

“Yeah okay.” Briana sighed. “That sounds smart. Thanks Mom.”

“You’re welcome. I love you very much, Briana.”

They shared a long, extra tight hug and then Mom was gone. Dad didn’t come up either, she was probably busy with school or house stuff. Briana stared at her ceiling and tried to figure out the best way to tell Melody that they were part of the family.

Once she had a good script figured out, Briana was at loose ends again. Nobody had come up to visit her since Mom. She was wet, but not so much that she needed to cry for Dad. Maybe she should have asked Mom to put some coloring books in her playpen before she left for the party.

With nothing else to do, Briana forced herself to face up to Alanna again. She was surprised and gratified to see the lioness was proud of her. Briana felt good about what she was going to do, Mom had agreed with it, and now Alanna was in full support too. For the first time since she’d invited Beatrix in, Briana was feeling some hope that everything would be all right.

Briana broke into the Cloudland Anthem again, in its usual happy tone this time. She followed the first verse up with the second right away.

            It’s a world of our past,

            Where the legend still lasts,

            And the Queen wears the crown,

            But the magic spell is law.

An answering voice from the hall jumped in with the third verse. Briana fell silent in surprise.

            Take your sword and your shield,

            There’s a battle on the field,

            You’re a knight and you’re right,

            So with dragons now you’ll fight.

The door opened to reveal Melody, singing beautifully. Tears in her eyes, Briana joined her sibling for the next two verses.

            And my fancy is flying,

            It’s a castle in the sky,

            Or there’s nothing out there,

            These are castles in the air.

            Fairytales live in me,

            Fables coming from my memory,

            Fantasy is not a crime,

            Find your castle in the sky.

“Melody!” Briana cried out as they both trailed off for the instrumental bit of the song.

“Hey Briana.” Melody said. They looked peaceful, better than Briana expected.

Melody walked over to the baby monitor and shut it off. Briana looked at them curiously, but no explanation was offered. Instead, Melody leaned on the corner of the playpen and smiled shyly at Briana.

“Can I hang out with you for a while?”

“Of course! Please!” Briana bounced, squishing her diaper.

“I’m babysitting you right now.” Melody said. “But I was thinking there’s enough room for two in there if you don’t mind.”

“Yeah, tons!” Briana scooted over to give Melody room.

After a few moments’ hesitation, Melody kicked off their shoes and stripped down their jeans. They were wearing a diaper, but the tapes were all messed up to Briana’s expert eye.

Melody climbed over the playpen wall and sat down gingerly, like they expected to be bitten. Briana was all for letting her sibling relax, but the urge to hug was literally overwhelming. She tackled her sibling, holding on as tightly as she could. To her delight, Melody was hugging back just as tight.

“I missed you.” Briana said. She was worried she was going to cry and make it a whole sad thing, but the tears didn’t come.

“I missed you too.” Melody said. “I was worried about you.”

“I’m sorry.” Briana reluctantly eased off on the hug, staying within touching distance of Melody. “I didn’t think about how I would make everyone worry. I’ve been thinking about it a lot while I’ve been grounded.”

“I forgive you.” Melody said. “You’re safe and that’s the important part.”

Briana nuzzled Melody’s shoulder. It was amazing, she’d literally dreamed about this exact thing so many times. Her in her onesie and diaper, Melody in a t-shirt and diaper, snuggling together in her playpen. For once the reality was as good as the dream.

“I didn’t know you liked that song.” Melody said.

“It’s the anthem of Cloudland!” Briana declared proudly.

“What-land?”

“Cloudland. It’s a big castle in the sky, so the song is perfect. There’s a round table there with a bunch of knights. Alanna is the head knight.”

“Oh, this Alanna?” Melody asked, patting Alanna on the back.

“Yeah!”

“I wish I had a place like Cloudland.” Melody said wistfully.

“Well until you do, you can join up!” Briana said. “Can you grab my sword?”

Melody looked around until they spotted the plastic Sword of Protection on a shelf. Curiously, they leaned out of the playpen and handed it to Briana.

“Kneel.” Briana said, tucking Alanna under her left arm and coming unsteadily to her feet. The playpen was a bit too squishy for a lot of standing.

With a bemused smile on her face, Melody braced herself on the side of the playpen and went down on one knee.

“Melody, do you swear to uphold the honor of Cloudland, The Round Table, and your own honor for as long as you live?”

A thoughtful expression crossed Melody’s face, surprising Briana. She’d expected Melody to just humor her, but it looked like they were really thinking about the oath.

“I’ll do my best.” Melody said.

Briana touched Melody on the left shoulder with the sword, holding it above them again. “And do you swear to defend Cloudland and your family from whatever dangers they face?”

“Yes.” Melody said in a determined tone.

Briana brought the sword down gently on Melody’s right shoulder. “Then by my authority as a knight of Cloudland, in the name of Knight Captain Alanna, all the knights of the round table, and the Queen, you are a knight of the realm of Cloudland.”

“You’ll have to get your own sword.” Briana said apologetically. She plopped down on her butt.

“I have a couple actually.” Melody said, shifting to a cross-legged sit.

“Really? How come you never showed me?”

“Uh, cause they’re metal and I thought your mom would be mad if I let you play with them.”

“Oh, yeah, probably.”

Briana set her sword carefully on the cloud blanket and restored Alanna to her seat atop it. With that done, she corrected the problem of not snuggling Melody by worming her way into her sibling’s lap. Melody got the same goofy grin on their face that they had the first time she’d done that, but bigger this time.

“Feeling snuggle-deficient?” Melody asked, putting their arms around Briana to support her.

“So much.” Briana sighed. “I don’t know if you heard but I’m super mega ultra grounded.”

“Yeah, I did.” Melody said. “I uh – anyway, thanks for what you did. Even if it got me really scared, I know you were doing it for me.”

It was time! Briana pulled Melody close for a quick hug and then sat back so she could see Melody’s face as she spoke.

“I love you.” Briana said. That was the first bit out. Strong start, simple and clear.

“I uh…” Melody stared at Briana in surprise. Just as Briana was about to speak again, Melody beat her to it. “I love you too. Like a sister. My uh – my little sister.”

It was Briana’s turn to hesitate in shock. There went the script. (It only lasted one sentence!)

“Really? Me too! I mean, I already said I love you, but you’re my big sibling.”

The glow on Melody’s face was the happiest Briana had ever seen her sibling. It was amazing to see.

“That’s awesome.” They said. “Poggers.”

Briana giggled. “I had a whole thing I was going to explain to you. A speech! But you already understand.”

“You can still say it if you want.”

“I don’t think I have to. The only part I haven’t said is that sibling isn’t like, a word I use for you. I mean that you’re my family.” Briana said. “I know you don’t think of Dad and Mom as family but…”

“I mean maybe I do.” Melody said softly.

“Buh? You do?!”

“I don’t know.” Melody said. “Honestly. But I’m not uh – against it.”

“That makes me so happy!” Briana squealed, throwing herself in to a hug that knocked them both over.

Melody seemed happy enough to let Briana lie on them. They were also super warm, prompting Briana to tangle their bare legs together.

“I don’t know how they feel about it.” Melody said.

“They care about you.” Briana interjected.

“I know.” Melody said. “But the family thing is like another level. And I’m still not totally sure about my feelings.”

“Good enough for now.” Briana declared. “Okay, next part. You have to ask for help. We can’t help you with your bad stuff unless you ask.”

Melody’s tight hug went limp and listless. They didn’t push Briana off of them though, so she clung to her sibling with all the love and warmth she could offer.

“Bri, Veronica told me you found something in Bea’s house.” Their voice was halting, pained.

Briana nodded against Melody’s shoulder, giving them as much time as they wanted to talk.

It was almost a minute before Melody spoke again. “I guess um, you know some of what’s been happening. Veronica does too.”

“I don’t want you to be sad if I can help.” Briana said.

“I – I can’t.” Melody said, their voice quavering. “I can’t with Veronica. I know, I know it’s bad. But it’s almost over. I just have to hold out a little longer and Bea will go away.”

“Are you sure?” Briana didn’t think that would happen at all.

“She gets bored, she’ll move on.” Melody said. “If I confront her she’ll put that stuff on the internet forever. She – you saw a little of what she’s like, but you don’t know everything. It’s better to just wait it out.”

“I don’t think that’s right.” Briana said, surprised at the depth of her own conviction. “That sounds like running away from your problem. That’s not what a knight would do.”

“I’ve only been a knight for five minutes.” Melody said. “There’s some stuff I can’t do, and I can’t do this.”

“But we’ll help.” Briana insisted.

“Please, let me do it my way.” Melody said. “Please Bri. Don’t tell Veronica anything I told you here. Just, let me figure it out.”

“That’s not how a family works.” Briana said, frustrated. When Melody didn’t answer, she huffed and added. “I won’t say anything. To other people. I’ll still talk about it with you.”

“That’s okay.” Melody said, sighing in relief. “If it’s with you it’s okay. Just you.”

“You didn’t tell Rosa?” Briana asked.

“No! Super no. Especially not her.” Melody said. “Things are going really good. I can’t lose her.”

“But why would she…”

“Trust me.” Melody said. “Just, yeah, it would be bad.”

“I don’t think she’d be mean about your diapers.” Briana said.

“She’s not. Uh, I told her about that and she uh – she was nice. More than nice.” Melody was blushing quite a bit.

Briana’s butt wiggled at the idea of Melody not only having a family to be little in, but a Gary-friend as well.

“But then why can’t you talk to her?”

“There’s other stuff going on with Beatrix. It’s a whole – look, promise me you won’t say anything at all to Rosa.”

“I promise on my honor as a knight of Cloudland.” Briana said. “She’s your girlfriend anyway. I think you should tell people though.”

“Yeah I didn’t think you’d changed your opinion in the last three minutes.” Melody said sourly.

That wasn’t very nice at all. Briana got her revenge by blowing a huge raspberry into Melody’s unprotected neck. Her sibling shrieked and giggled, thrashing to no avail. Briana clung to them like a crab.

“Augh, stop, I give up!” Melody panted on the playpen floor, inexpertly poking at Briana’s sides.

Pleased that she’d made Melody laugh, and that they didn’t know her ticklish spots yet, Briana relented. A warm sensation on her leg made her think her diaper was leaking, until she realized there was no wet feeling.

“Did you just wet?” Briana asked, pressing her leg more firmly against Melody’s diaper.

“M-maybe.” Melody said with a blush. “I’m wearing a diaper, in a playpen, it’s not weird.”

“It’s not.” Briana agreed. “Too bad your girlfriend isn’t here to change you. Maybe I should call her.”

“Stop that!” Melody blustered, their face beet red. “Teasing is mean. And – and it is too bad she’s not here.”

“She put on the one you’re wearing right?” Briana asked.

“Yeah.”

Briana gave Melody a gentle hug. She shifted off them and rested her head on Melody’s chest. “I’m glad for you.”

“Thanks.” Melody was calming down. They had another doofy grin on their face. Briana decided not to call attention to it.

“Are you gonna be over at her place a lot?”

“I don’t know.” Melody said. “The last two nights were the first time I’d stayed over. Everything is still new.”

“Don’t forget your little sister.” Briana said. It came out more worried than she’d intended.

“Never.” Melody squeezed Briana to punctuate the word. “When I thought you were lost I freaked out.”

“I’m sorry.” Briana said.

“No, it’s okay. I wouldn’t have been able to talk with you like this otherwise. I figured out some stuff when I realized how worried I was.”

“You’re so different than when you moved in.” Briana said.

“Thank you. It’s a lot because of you.”

“You’re going to make me cry, dummy.”

“Isn’t that what big siblings do to little sisters?”

“Only mean ones. You aren’t a mean one.”

Melody smiled and leaned against Briana. They sat quietly for a bit. (it was awesome!)

“You know, I thought you were really hot when I moved in.” Melody said.

“Really?” Briana sat up a little.

“Yeah. I’m glad we have – this now, instead.”

“I’m not hot anymore?” Briana teased.

“You are, but you’re also my sister. My little, bratty sister.”

Melody reached for Briana’s sides again, and this time they hit a spot. Briana shrieked and squirm-rolled away as far as the playpen would allow. It wasn’t far enough to avoid being pinned under Melody.

“I’m glad we have this too.” She said, hoping to be too sweet to be tickled again.

“Brat.” Melody said, relenting on the tickles. (it worked!)

“I’m the little one.” Briana said in the best innocent tone she could muster.

“Double brat.” Melody chuckled and sat up, padded hip pressed against Briana’s leg.

“What do you wanna play?” Briana asked.

“Uh – you don’t have a lot in here.” Melody said looking around. “I guess we could assemble your round table.”

Briana’s response was forestalled by Dad’s entrance. “Dad!” She cried out in excitement, sitting up.

“Hi Bri, Melody.” Jane said. “I hope I’m not interrupting. Briana probably needs a change. I know you can do it, Melody, but since you want to hang out I thought I’d do it for you.”

“Melody needs a change too!” Briana said triumphantly.

Jane looked down at Melody. Briana did too, hoping for a big reaction. They were bashful but not really blushing or otherwise super embarrassed.

“Do you need one?” Jane asked.

“Uh, well so far only Veronica has in the house. You don’t have to do that.” Melody said softly. “I can take care of it later.”

“Nonsense, I’m happy to. Give me your hand.” Jane held out her hand to Melody. They took it and let Jane guide them to the changing table.

“They get changed first? I’ve been wet longer.” Briana said incredulously. “Daddy!”

“Briana, that is not the attitude of a baby who wants her grounding to end any time soon.”

Briana whimpered.

“She’s fine.” Melody said, lying down on the changing table. “My uh – my – little sister is a brat. I don’t – I d-don’t mind though.”

Jane raised an eyebrow but didn’t comment. She expertly tore the tapes off Melody’s diaper and wiped them down with her usual efficient strokes.

“You see what a good example Melody is setting for you?” Jane said to Briana. “Don’t you want to be a good little sister?”

“That’s not fair!” Briana said, her mouth hanging open. Dad wasn’t supposed to use her new sibling against her!

She squirmed for a bit, casting glances up at Dad who was placidly putting Melody in a new diaper. They were lying on the changing table way more calmly than Briana had expected. What happened to Melody being super blushy about diaper stuff?

“I’ll be a good sister.” She conceded, grumpily.

“I’m glad to hear it.” Jane said. “Then I guess you can come downstairs to watch a movie with us tonight.”

“Really!” Briana shot to her feet and fell to her knees, betrayed by the playpen’s squish.

“As long as you play nice with your sibling.” Jane said.

“I will, I will!” Briana practically climbed Jane when she returned Melody to the playpen. Dad gave her a big hug before putting her on the changing table.

“Of course, that goes for you too Melody.” Jane said. “This isn’t a license to get your little sister in trouble.”

“I’ll take care of her.” Melody said gently. Dad smiled at them.

Briana felt like her heart was going to burst. She knew she was being fussy and squirming a lot through her change, but she couldn’t help it. All she wanted was to be in Dad’s lap or snuggling Melody, preferably both at the same time. If Mom could be there too it would be perfect.

Freshly powdered and diapered, she had to settle for a quick hug with Dad and cuddling up to Melody. When Dad left to make dinner, Melody surprised Briana by pouncing her and pinning her to the floor of the playpen.

“You thought you were going to get me in trouble telling Jane I needed a change, huh?”

“Noooooo…” Briana giggled. “I was trying to embarrass you because your blush is cute.”

“Oh yeah? Well then this is because I like your laugh.”

Briana shrieked at the top of her lungs as Melody expertly found her ticklish spots. Her big sibling was learning fast. No fair!