"I'm so glad you could come," Laura greeted Theresa at the door. "You don't know how much I need a break."

"I understand. I know what happened."

Laura decided to give Theresa a small rundown of what occurred.

"When the trait swapper stuck, Timothy was out with his three-year-old neice. He swapped many traits with her. He still may look like a man in his upper fifties, but his personality is mostly that of a three-year-old girl."

"I heard that."

"The worst part about it is that he doesn't know anything has changes. He still thinks he is the same man he was. Let me show you."

Theresa followed Laura through the home and into the family room. Timothy was sitting on the floor surrounded by papers with his arm leaning on a desk. He was wearing a mint green romper, that was pulled on so tight, it could be mistaken for a leotards, and a pair of white tights. Theresa could clearly see that under the leotard, Timothy was wearing a diaper.

"Thank you so much for helping out tonight, Theresa," Laura began, her voice kind but firm as she went over the instructions. "Timothy is a sweet man, but he can be a bit stubborn at times, so I just want to give you a few tips on how to handle him. Firstly, you have to remember that he still thinks he is a businessman working on important contracts," Laura whispered.

Theresa nodded, listening intently, her posture relaxed but attentive.

"If he gets fussy or upset, the best way to calm him down is to distract him with a favorite toy or a book. He loves his stuffed bunny---'Mr. Hops'---and it usually does the trick when he's feeling a little cranky."

Laura glanced over at Timothy, who was now stacking his papers into piles. "He's also big on routine. At 6:00, announce that the work day is over. Dnner is all set in the fridge. After dinner, he usually likes to watch one episode of 'Bluey' before bed. Just one, though---he'll try to bargain for more, but stick to one, or he'll never go to sleep."

Theresa smiled. "Got it, one episode of 'Bluey.'"

Laura continued, "When it's time for bed, you will have to bath him. He won't go to sleep without taking a bath. He was that way before the swap. There is bubblebath, which might be more for you than for him, and floatie toys, plenty to distract him. Don't worry if he doesn't get clean all over. But, you have to go through the motions or he won't be happy. Remember, he won't go to sleep unless he thinks he is clean."

"I see."

"He'll need help brushing his teeth, and then it's storytime. He loves it when you make the voices for the characters---his favorite book right now is 'Goodnight Moon,' so you might want to start with that."

Pausing for a moment, Laura added, "If he's having a hard time settling down, just sit with him for a few minutes. He usually likes to hold someone's hand as he falls asleep. But he's been pretty good lately about going to bed without too much fuss. If he complains about his accounts, remind him that he needs his sleep because of the big meeting tomorrow."

"What big meeting?"

"I don't know, but it always works."

Theresa nodded again, taking it all in. "And what if he throws a tantrum? He's much bigger than me."

Laura smiled, slightly rueful. "He's never violent. He'll never hit you. If he does, just stay calm. He responds well to a gentle but firm voice. Don't give in to whatever he's demanding, but let him know you understand he's upset. He usually calms down pretty quickly if you acknowledge his feelings and then redirect his attention."

Laura took a deep breath, trying to shake off the last bit of nervousness. "I think that's everything. I know it sounds like a lot, but once you get to know Timothy, it'll all make sense. Timothy's a good person, just needs a bit of guidance here and there."

"One other thing, sometimes, he seems to act like his old self. He can speak in long complex sentences using an extensive vocabulary...If he wants to. But, in his head, he's more like a toddler than an adult. Don't let him fool you for a minute. He has to be treated like a little girl."

Theresa looked again at the outline of the diaper under his leotard. She didn't think she could forget that he was a toddler when he was dressed like that.

"Can I call him Tim, or better yet, Timmy?" Theresa asked.

"No, he hates that. It's another hold over from before the swap."

"OK, I won't." Theresa gave Laura a reassuring smile. "No worries, Laura. I'll take good care of him."

Laura glanced at her watch, then back at Timothy, who was now looking intently at a typed piece of paper.. "Alright then, I guess I should get going. You've got my number if you need anything at all."

As she headed for the door, Laura couldn't resist one last look at Timothy. "Be good, Timothy. I'll will be back soon."

Timothy looked up and waved, his face lighting up with a smile. "Have a pleasant evening Laura!"

With that, Laura left, feeling a bit more at ease knowing that her 'little man' was in good hands with Theresa.

End.