Chapter 30: A Secrept Kept

The early morning light filtered through the blinds as Jake slowly blinked awake. He shifted under the blankets and immediately felt the familiar squish. He sighed, realizing he had once again woken up wet.

Glancing over, he saw Alex stirring as well. The moment Alex moved, his face scrunched up in recognition of the same issue. They exchanged a look but didn’t say anything out loud.

Then, Jake turned toward the spare mattress where Tyler was still sleeping peacefully. They had managed to keep their secret so far, and they weren’t about to risk waking him up now. Silently, Jake motioned toward the door, and Alex nodded in understanding.

Carefully, they slipped out of bed, stepping lightly to avoid making noise. They tiptoed toward the hallway and quietly closed the bedroom door behind them before heading downstairs in search of their mom.

Mrs. Faulkner was already in the kitchen, sipping her morning coffee. She raised an eyebrow as the boys entered. "Good morning, boys. Up early?"

Jake rubbed the back of his neck. "Uh... yeah. Just figured we’d... uh, get changed early."

Their mom gave them a knowing look but didn’t comment. Instead, she simply set her coffee down and led them upstairs to take care of their morning routine before Tyler even had a chance to wake up.

Once changed, the boys headed back downstairs to make themselves some cereal. As they sat down at the kitchen table, pouring their milk, they heard Tyler’s footsteps coming down the stairs.

He stretched and yawned before grabbing himself a bowl. "Why didn’t you guys wake me up?"

Alex quickly responded, "You looked like you needed a few more minutes, so we just decided to get breakfast first."

Their mom glanced at them but said nothing, simply sipping her coffee with an amused expression. The boys exchanged a relieved glance—Tyler was still none the wiser. For now, their secret remained safe.

The weekend wasn’t over yet, and they intended to make the most of their last two days of freedom before homeschool began.

After breakfast, they headed back upstairs to hang out. Tyler grinned. "Hey, have you guys ever seen Supernatural? It’s kinda old now, but it’s got a lot of action, and it’s about brothers hunting monsters. It’s really good."

Jake and Alex looked at each other and shrugged. "Sounds cool," Jake said. "Let’s check it out."

They started the show, completely engrossed in the action and suspense. One episode turned into two, then three, and before they knew it, they had watched eight episodes straight.

Just as they were debating whether to keep going, Mrs. Faulkner knocked on the door. "Tyler, your dad is here to pick you up."

Tyler sighed, stretching as he got up. "Man, that show is awesome. We have to keep watching next time I come over."

Jake nodded. "Definitely."

As Tyler packed up his things and headed downstairs, the boys knew that their carefree weekend was coming to an end. Homeschool was just around the corner, but for now, they had one last day to enjoy before the new routine began.

It was only 4 PM, so the boys decided to boot up their Xboxes and play some Minecraft until dinner time.

At 8:45 PM, Mrs. Faulkner called the boys down for dinner. "Alright, boys! Dinner’s ready!"

Jake and Alex paused their game and made their way downstairs. The table was set, and the smell of freshly baked meatloaf filled the air. Alongside it were mashed potatoes with rich gravy and a side of steamed vegetables.

As they sat down, Jake immediately frowned at the sight of the steamed vegetables. He had never liked them, and his mom knew it.

Mrs. Faulkner gave him a knowing look as she passed the plates around. "You know the rule, Jake. Clean plate, or no dessert."

Jake groaned but picked up his fork. He wanted dessert, so he'd have to get through the veggies first. Alex, on the other hand, happily dug in, while their mom watched with an amused smile.

"You’re lucky, Alex," Jake muttered. "You actually like this stuff."

Alex smirked. "They’re not that bad."

"Easy for you to say," Jake muttered as he took a reluctant bite.

Mrs. Faulkner chuckled. "You’ll survive, Jake. Now eat up."

As they ate, the boys chatted about their Minecraft world and what they planned to build next. Despite Jake's struggle with the vegetables, dinner was a nice way to wind down after a long day.

Once their plates were cleared, Mrs. Faulkner smiled. "Good job, boys. Dessert time."

Jake let out a small sigh of relief—at least the veggies were behind him.

Mrs. Faulkner gathered their plates and took them to the kitchen. The boys leaned back in their chairs, satisfied but eagerly awaiting their reward for finishing dinner. A few minutes later, she returned, carrying a freshly baked blueberry pie and a tub of vanilla ice cream.

Jake’s eyes lit up. "No way! Blueberry pie?"

Alex grinned. "With ice cream? Best dessert ever!"

Their mom chuckled as she set the pie down and began cutting generous slices. "I figured you boys would like a treat after such a long day. You earned it—especially you, Jake, for getting through those veggies."

Jake rolled his eyes but smiled as she placed a slice in front of him, adding a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. The warm pie and melting ice cream were the perfect combination.

As they dug in, the boys chatted excitedly about what they would do on their last day of freedom before homeschool started. Mrs. Faulkner listened, enjoying the moment with them.

Once their plates were clean, she patted them on the shoulder. "Alright, boys, finish up and get ready for bed. One more day of fun before the real work begins."

Jake and Alex groaned but knew she was right. Tomorrow would be their last full day of play before their new routine started. But for now, they simply enjoyed their dessert, savoring the last bites of their carefree weekend.

After finishing their dessert, the boys went through their usual nighttime routine—showering, brushing their teeth, changing into their pajamas, and getting into their nighttime diapers. Once they were ready for bed, they climbed under their blankets, settling in as their mom came in to tuck them in for the night.

Mrs. Faulkner sat on the edge of Jake’s bed, smoothing down his blanket. “So, about this morning… and Tyler,” she said gently.

Jake and Alex exchanged a quick glance before Jake spoke up. “He doesn’t know, Mom. We made sure to get up before he did so he wouldn’t find out.”

Alex nodded. “Yeah, and last night, when he saw our changing mats, we told him they were yoga mats.”

Mrs. Faulkner raised an eyebrow but then smiled softly. “Yoga mats, huh?”

Both boys grinned sheepishly.

She reached over, tucking Alex in as well. “Listen, if you don’t want him to know, that’s completely fine. That’s your choice. But just remember—Tyler is your friend, no matter what. If he ever does find out, trust that he cares about you for who you are, not something as small as this.”

Jake yawned, nodding. “Yeah… we know.”

Alex stretched under his covers. “We’ll handle it if it ever comes up.”

Mrs. Faulkner kissed both of them on the forehead. “Good. Now get some rest, boys. One last day of freedom before school starts.”

She turned off the light and left the room, leaving the door open just a crack. Jake and Alex lay in the dim glow, letting sleep slowly take over. They weren’t sure what homeschool would be like, but for now, they still had tomorrow to enjoy.

And for now, that was enough.