Chapter 13

Erika's pov

In my dream, I found myself trapped in a never-ending cycle of babyhood. Cat was always there, treating me like a helpless infant, and I was powerless to resist. I couldn't go to school, work, or see my friends. The nightmare was suffocating, the constant babying overwhelming. I wanted to scream, but no sound came out. I felt trapped, my identity slipping away as I became more and more dependent on Cat for everything.

I woke up with a start, my heart pounding. The room was dark and quiet, but the nightmare's intensity lingered. I felt a rush of fear and anxiety, unable to shake the images from my mind.

I tossed and turned, trying to calm myself down. I could hear the reassuring sound of Cat's steady breathing from her room, but I didn't want to admit I needed her. I was too old for this. I could handle a bad dream on my own.

Minutes turned into what felt like hours. I squeezed my eyes shut, pulling the blankets tighter around me, but sleep wouldn't come. The fear and anxiety from the nightmare kept gnawing at me, making it impossible to relax.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, I couldn't take it anymore. I got up and tiptoed to Cat's room. I stood at the doorway for a moment, hesitating, but then I quietly walked over and gently shook her awake.

"Cat," I whispered, my voice trembling. "I... I had a bad dream."

Cat stirred and sat up, immediately reaching out to pull me into a comforting embrace. "Oh, sweetheart, it's okay. You're safe. Do you want to talk about it?"

I shook my head, unable to put the nightmare into words. "Can I sleep with you tonight?"

"Of course, baby," Cat said softly, pulling back the covers to make room for me. "Come here."

I climbed into bed with her, feeling the immediate comfort of her presence. She wrapped her arms around me, holding me close. I rested my head on her chest, listening to the steady rhythm of her heartbeat. It was soothing, and gradually, my anxiety began to fade.

"I knew this would happen, we shouldn't have watched that horror movie," Cat whispered, stroking my hair gently. "No more." The nightmare wasn't even about the movie, but I couldn't tell her she was the source of my fears. Instead I'll just have to watch them in secrecy.

Within minutes, I was drifting back to sleep, this time without the nightmares. Cat's warmth and reassurance enveloped me, and I knew that no matter what, I could always rely on her to be there for me.

The night passed peacefully, and when morning came, I woke up still nestled in Cat's arms. She smiled down at me, her eyes filled with love and concern.

"Good morning, my little one. How are you feeling?" Cat smiled at me as she scratched circles on my back.

"Good, I'm sorry about last night." I apologized as I looked down from embarrassment. I can't believe I behaved just as a baby would.

"No, it was my fault I shouldn't have let you watch that horror movie," She sighed, "that reminds me I think we need to have a long talk."

Her serious tone made me very nervous for what's to come, "About what? My class isn't until 12 today so I have time." Cat sat up with me still resting on her chest and moved me gently so I was facing her rather than being on her.

"I haven't been the best mommy, and I realize we need more rules and boundaries, and most unpleasantly, punishments." Cat said as she looked down on me, meeting my eyes. "I think it's important for both of us to have a clear understanding of what's expected."

I swallowed hard, feeling a mixture of fear and curiosity. "Don't we already have rules?" I've always been a good kid. Yes me and my mother had ups and downs, but at the end of the day I was always a goody-two-shoes and never got in trouble. The most I did was hang out with friends instead of studying back home.

"Yes and we'll keep the original rules, but I want to add that the curfew is at 7 p.m. You cannot be outside this house past the-" I cut Cat off before she could fully finish her sentence.

"What? No. Most times I don't even finish work until 9 p.m." I responded angrily. She is ridiculous to think that I would agree to that, that wasn't in the lease.

"I'll talk to you about that job later, but for now-" I cut her off once more, I wasn't done yet.

"In the agreement it didn't say I'd have to give up all of my freedom?" I raised my voice a bit, causing Cat to raise her eyebrow.

"Little one, I will not tolerate this attitude any longer. I need you to turn on your listening ears or else I will not hesitate to bend you over my knee right now." Catherine sternly demanded. Her threat would be followed through. I know that, but what I didn't know is where she found this audacity.

Yet out of fear I remained silent, I should let her finish before jumping to conclusions. I nodded quietly in response.

Catherine cleared her throat, "Bedtime is at 9:30 p.m on weekdays and 10:00 p.m. on weekends." I verbally huffed, "you will eat at least 2 meals a day with me, breakfast and lunch," Okay that one was reasonable enough, it's not like she's a bad cook, "which will now consist of more vegetables which I've been neglecting you of."

Embarrassingly enough I didn't really like most vegetables, they tasted like nothing. It's very childish, but whatever, I suppose I'll eat them if it shuts her up.

"I'm also going to set up a schedule, you'll put up when your classes are and I'll put up my work schedule." Catherine continued, "Oh and work. You'll work an internship at my research company right by Yale." Work was my only escape from Catherine, the only time I am able to be rid of her constant babying. I wasn't ready to give it up.

"No." I stated simply. Catherine's eyes widened at my response, "I agree to everything I guess, but not curfew, not my job. We never agreed to this. I want a normal college experience, as normal as I can get."

Catherine's face softened for a moment, but then she steeled herself. "Erika, I understand your desire for a normal college experience, but this is non-negotiable. These rules are in place for your well-being, and they will be followed. No exceptions."

I felt a surge of frustration. "But that's not fair! You're treating me like a child. I need some freedom."

Catherine's expression remained firm. "This isn't about taking away your freedom, Erika. It's about ensuring you're healthy, happy, and safe. I've seen how stressed and overwhelmed you've been. This structure will help."

My anger flared. "I can take care of myself! I don't need you controlling every aspect of my life."

Catherine sighed, her eyes filled with a mixture of determination and concern. "I am not trying to control you. I am trying to help you. The curfew will be 7 p.m., bedtime at 9:30 p.m. on weekdays and 10:00 p.m. on weekends, and you will eat two meals a day with me. This is final."

I felt a lump forming in my throat. "But... my job... my friends..."

"You can still see your friends," Catherine said firmly. "But your health and well-being come first. If I see that this arrangement isn't working, we'll revisit it. But for now, these rules stand."

Tears of frustration welled up in my eyes. "This isn't fair," I muttered.

Catherine gently lifted my chin, making me meet her gaze. "I know it's hard, Erika. But I promise, this is for your own good. I'm doing this because I love you and want the best for you."

I swallowed hard, feeling defeated. "Fine," I whispered, barely audible.

Catherine pulled me into a tight embrace. "Thank you for understanding, sweetheart."

I nodded silently, my emotions a swirling mix of anger, sadness, and reluctant acceptance. Catherine's embrace felt both comforting and suffocating. I knew she cared about me, but the weight of her rules felt like a heavy burden.

"Now for a more difficult topic," Catherine said with a sigh, "punishments." My heart sank. I've never been punished before moving here and time-outs were already not fun, I can only imagine the other punishments.

"Time-outs will remain the main source of punishment, but when you're extra naughty I will spank you." Catherine finished, making my eyes now widen. I was not okay with that at all, I already felt vulnerable enough with her.

"What? I-I no ones, no ones ever s-s-spanked me?" I couldn't even form the words I was speaking.

"It should be rare, you're usually my angel." Catherine said as she started to scratch my back making me rest my head on her chest.

I nodded, too shocked to argue. "Let's have breakfast now," Catherine said softly, "and then we'll work on the schedule. Okay?"

I nodded again. Maybe this would work out. Maybe I could find a way to balance her rules with my need for independence. But for now, I had no choice but to comply.

Catherine led me to the kitchen, where the aroma of freshly made pancakes filled the air. She had already prepared a stack of fluffy pancakes, topped with a colorful assortment of fresh fruit – strawberries, blueberries, and slices of banana. A small pitcher of warm maple syrup sat beside the plate, ready to drizzle over the stack.

"Here you go, lovebug," Catherine said, placing the plate in front of me. She poured herself a cup of coffee and sat down across from me, watching me intently.

I picked up my fork and took a bite, the sweet flavors mingling in my mouth. "This is really good," I mumbled, my mouth full.

Catherine smiled warmly. "I'm glad you like it. I thought you could use something special this morning."

We ate in comfortable silence, the tension from our earlier conversation slowly dissipating. I focused on my breakfast, trying to push away the lingering frustration and confusion.

Just as I was finishing my pancakes, the doorbell rang. I looked up, surprised. "I'll get it," I said, standing up.

Catherine's expression turned serious. "Monkey, it's dangerous to answer the door without knowing who's there. Let me do it."

But I was already on my way to the door. "It's probably just a delivery or something," I said, dismissing her concern. I opened the door cautiously and was greeted by a delivery person holding a large bouquet of flowers.

"Delivery for Catherine," the person said, handing me the flowers.

I took the bouquet, my eyes widening at the sight of the vibrant blooms. "Thank you," I said, closing the door behind me.

Catherine approached, her expression softening as she saw the flowers. "Oh, they're beautiful," she murmured, taking the bouquet from my hands. On the tag I saw 'happy birthday' written on it.

I looked at her, confused. "Why didn't you tell me it was your birthday?"

Catherine's eyes widened in surprise. "It's not a big deal, honey. I didn't want to make a fuss."

I shook my head, feeling a surge of determination. "No, it is a big deal. You're always doing so much for me. Today, I'm going to make sure you have the best birthday ever."

Catherine smiled, touched by my words. "You don't have to do anything special, really."

I shook my head again. "I want to. Just wait and see."

As Catherine placed the flowers in a vase, I started brainstorming ideas to make her birthday memorable. I wanted to show her how much I appreciated everything she did for me, even if it meant temporarily setting aside my frustrations.

Determined to make Catherine's birthday special, I quickly finished my breakfast and excused myself to make a few phone calls. Catherine watched me curiously as I left the room, but she didn't press for details.

In my bedroom, I searched for something unique and fun we could do together. An escape room seemed like the perfect idea—challenging, exciting, and a great way for us to bond. I found a highly-rated escape room nearby and booked a slot for the afternoon. Satisfied with my choice, I returned to the kitchen with a smile on my face.

Catherine was still arranging the flowers, her back turned to me. "What are you up to?" she asked without turning around.

"Just making some plans for your birthday," I replied nonchalantly.

She turned to face me, curiosity and amusement dancing in her eyes. "Oh really? And what plans would those be?"

"You'll see," I said with a teasing smile. "But for now, we need to get ready. We have somewhere to be this afternoon."

Catherine's eyebrows rose in surprise. "An outing? For my birthday?"

I nodded, feeling a rush of excitement. "Yep. We're going to do something fun and different. So, finish up here, and let's get ready."

As Catherine finished arranging the flowers, I went to my room to change into something comfortable but nice. I chose a pair of jeans and a cute top, then grabbed a jacket in case it got chilly later. When I returned to the living room, Catherine was waiting for me, looking curious and a little excited.

"Are you ready?" I asked, trying to contain my excitement.

She nodded, a smile tugging at her lips. "Ready as I'll ever be."

"We'll be making a couple of stops before we head to the main event," I said, giving her a mysterious grin.

Catherine looked intrigued but didn't press for details. We got into the car, and I drove to a nearby boutique that specialized in quirky and unique gifts. Inside, I found the perfect present: matching monkey shirts, one with a mommy monkey and the other with a baby monkey. I knew Catherine would find them adorable, and they symbolized our unique relationship perfectly.

After purchasing the shirts, I stopped by a bakery and picked up a small but beautifully decorated cake. It had "Happy Birthday, Mommy" written in delicate icing, and I knew it would be the perfect ending to our day.

When I returned to the car with the gifts, Catherine looked at me with amused suspicion. "What did you get?"

"You'll see," I said with a grin. "Just a little something to make your day special."

Finally, we drove to the escape room. The drive was filled with light conversation and laughter, the earlier tension between us forgotten. I felt a sense of relief, happy that we were back on good terms.

When we arrived at the escape room, Catherine's eyes widened in surprise. "An escape room? This is what you planned?"

I grinned, nodding. "Yep. I remember you talking to someone about how fun one would be."

She smiled, clearly touched by the effort I had put into planning this. "Thank you, Erika. This is really thoughtful."

We checked in and were given a brief introduction to the escape room. The theme was a mysterious library, and we had to solve a series of puzzles to find the hidden treasure. As we entered the room and the door closed behind us, Catherine turned to me, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

"Let's do this," she said, and I couldn't help but feel a surge of happiness. This was going to be a memorable birthday for both of us.

We dove into the puzzles, working together seamlessly. Catherine's intelligence and analytical skills were impressive, and I found myself in awe of her ability to solve even the most challenging riddles. We laughed and cheered each other on, the experience bringing us closer together.

After an hour of intense problem-solving, we finally found the hidden treasure and unlocked the door. We emerged from the escape room victorious, grinning from ear to ear. Catherine was extremely smart, smarter than me of course, but still she didn't make me feel less than.

"That was amazing," Catherine said, her face flushed with excitement.

I smiled, feeling a warmth in my chest. "I'm glad you enjoyed it. Happy birthday, Mommy." I knew calling her mommy would make her happy, and it's her birthday so I was determined to make her happy.

Back at the house, I handed Catherine the wrapped present. She unwrapped it and burst into laughter when she saw the matching shirts. "These are adorable, Monkey! I love them."

"I thought you'd like them," I said, feeling a sense of accomplishment.

"And what's in the box?" she asked, pointing to the bakery box.

"Dessert," I replied. "But first, I have something to tell you."

Catherine raised an eyebrow, waiting for me to continue.

"I know I said I wouldn't go trick-or-treating on Halloween, but I'll do anything you want today. You can dress me up, do my hair, and baby me all day. It's your birthday, and I want to make it special for you."

Catherine's eyes softened, and she pulled me into a tight hug. "Thank you, love. This means so much to me." She lifted me up onto her hip and headed towards the nursery.

"So the first order of business is dinner," before I could even say a word, Cat continued, "before dessert." She raised her eyebrow at me.

"I actually ordered Chinese, your favorite take out spot," I responded, "it should be here in about five minutes."

"Did you order any vegetables, little one?" She inquired, causing me to blush.

"I ordered beef and broccoli if that counts." I semi-asked in fear of her response.

"I suppose, but you have to eat the broccoli, not just the beef." She said as she booped my nose.

As we waited for the Chinese food to arrive, Catherine and I sat together in the living room, talking about our plans for the rest of the evening. Just as she finished outlining the next steps, the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it!" Cat said, setting me aside and standing up from the couch. She grabbed the delivery from the smiling driver and brought the bags of food back into the living room.

Catherine helped me unpack the containers, and the delicious aroma of our favorite Chinese dishes filled the room. "This looks amazing," she said, her eyes lighting up.

"Thanks," I said, blushing a little. "I hope you like it."

Catherine sat down on the couch, patting her lap. "Come here, little one," she said softly.

Feeling a mix of anticipation and shyness, I climbed onto her lap. She positioned me comfortably, then began to open the food containers. "Let's start with the beef and broccoli," she said, picking up a piece of broccoli with the chopsticks.

I opened my mouth obediently, and she fed me the broccoli. The taste was surprisingly good, and I found myself enjoying it. "Good girl," Catherine praised, giving me a warm smile. She continued to feed me, alternating between the beef and broccoli, making sure I ate a balanced meal.

When we had finished the main course, she dabbed at my mouth with a napkin. "You did well," she said, her voice full of affection. "Now, let's get you dressed up."

She led me to her bedroom, where she had laid out a very childish outfit. It was a frilly pink dress with lace trim, matching socks, and a pair of shiny black shoes. Catherine helped me into the dress, tying the sash into a perfect bow at the back. She then styled my hair into two cute pigtails, fastening them with pink ribbons.

"You look absolutely precious," she said, admiring her handiwork. I blushed, feeling both embarrassed and pleased by her compliment.

She snapped a picture making me reach to cover her camera, "Hey???" I exclaimed, "I thought this was private."

Cat moved her arm so I couldn't reach it, reminding me of her tall nature, "Oh honey don't worry, no one will see it, just for mommy and you." She stated.

With a sigh, I let it go, though I still felt a bit annoyed. "Alright, let's cut the cake now," Cat suggested, leading me to the kitchen.

The cake was beautifully decorated, with "Happy Birthday, Mommy!" written in bright, colorful icing. As Cat carefully sliced a piece, I couldn't help but sneak some frosting off the sides with my finger.

"Erika!" Cat scolded, catching me in the act. "That's very naughty."

I blushed and giggled, licking the frosting off my finger. "Sorry, it just looked so good."

She handed me a small plate with a slice of cake. "No more sneaking," she said, a playful yet stern tone in her voice.

We sat down and shared the slice, taking small bites. As I ate, I noticed Catherine seemed to be purposely getting frosting on my face. She'd dab a little on my nose, then my cheek, making me laugh and squirm.

"Mommy, you're making a mess!" I protested, though I couldn't stop giggling.

"Well, you look so adorable with frosting on your face," she said with a mischievous smile. "Here, let me get that for you."

She leaned in and licked the frosting off my cheek, sending a shiver down my spine. "Hey, that's not fair," I said, feeling a mix of embarrassment and delight.

"All's fair in love and cake," she replied, giving me a quick kiss on the nose.

We finished the slice, and Catherine cleaned me up with a warm, damp cloth. "There, all better," she said, brushing a strand of hair away from my face.

"Thanks," I said, feeling oddly content. Even though I felt silly in the childish outfit, there was something comforting about her care and attention.

"You're welcome, little one, what good manners good girl," she said softly. "Now, how about a bath?"

I nodded, still feeling a bit giddy from the cake and the playful moment we had shared. "Okay," I agreed, letting her lead me to the bathroom.

Next, Catherine suggested we take a bath together. She ran a warm bubble bath, filling the tub with fragrant bubbles. We undressed and slipped into the tub, the warm water soothing my skin. Catherine gently washed my hair, massaging my scalp with her fingers.

After the bath, Catherine wrapped me in a fluffy towel and dried me off. She helped me into a pair of cozy pajamas and led me back to the bedroom. "It's time for a bedtime story," she said, settling down on the bed and patting the space next to her.

I snuggled up beside her, and she began to read a beautifully illustrated storybook. Her voice was soft and melodic, lulling me into a state of calm and contentment. As she read, she gently scratched my back, sending tingles of relaxation through my body.

By the time she finished the story, I was fighting to keep my eyes open. Catherine kissed my forehead and pulled the blankets up around me. "Goodnight, my little one," she whispered, her voice filled with love, "this was my best birthday yet."