Once the door closed, Mia dropped her bag on the counter and called out, "Evan, are you ready for our movie night?" The sound of little feet pattering echoed through the hall as Evan rushed in, grinning from ear to ear.
"Yeah! I can't wait!" he said, eyes sparkling with excitement. But just as quickly, his smile faded, and his face turned to a look of discomfort. Mia noticed the sudden change and immediately understood.
"Sweetie, do you need to use the bathroom?" she asked gently.
Evan's eyes widened, and he nodded sheepishly. "Yeah, I really need to pee."
Mia took his hand and led him to the bathroom. "Let's get you to the potty then."
But before they could reach the bathroom, Evan stopped in his tracks, his face twisted in distress. A dark patch quickly spread across the front of his shorts, dripping onto the floor.
"Oh no, Evan," Mia said, kneeling down to his level. "It's okay, accidents happen." She tried to comfort him, but Evan was already on the verge of tears, his cheeks turning a bright shade of red.
"Come on, let's get you out of these wet clothes," she said soothingly, guiding him into the bathroom. She helped him step out of his soaked shorts, but as she was about to remove his underwear, Evan's face contorted again, and he let out a small, anguished cry.
"Mia, I... I think I'm gonna..." he started, but it was too late. His body tensed, a muffled sound and unmistakable smell followed as he filled his underwear.
Mia sighed softly, a mixture of empathy and determination on her face. "It's okay, Evan. We're going to get you all cleaned up." She reached into her bag, pulling out a pair of gloves she always kept for when she babysat younger kids and needed to change diapers, snapping them on with a reassuring smile. "Now, let's take care of this."
She carefully peeled off Evan's messy underwear, trying to minimize any further spread of the mess. The smell of his accident filled the small bathroom, but Mia stayed composed. "Alright, sweetie, just hold still while I clean you up."
Evan stood there, feeling vulnerable and embarrassed, but Mia's gentle and patient demeanor calmed him. She used a few wipes to clean his legs, occasionally glancing at her gloves to ensure she wasn't getting too messy.
"See? Not so bad," she said, trying to keep the mood light. "You did a good job holding still." Once his legs were clean, Mia lifted him slightly to remove the soiled underwear completely, wrapping it in a plastic bag.
"Okay, let's get that bottom all clean now," she said, grabbing a fresh wipe. She lifted his legs again, cleaning thoroughly but gently. When she accidentally smeared a bit of poop on the back of her gloved hand, she chuckled, "Well, that's why we wear gloves, right?"
Evan managed a small smile at her lighthearted comment. "Sorry, Mia."
"Nothing to be sorry about, Evan. Everyone has accidents." She finished wiping his bottom, making sure he was all clean before discarding the gloves and wipes into the plastic bag. She tied it up and set it aside.
"Alright, let's get you into some clean clothes," she said, pulling out a fresh pair of underwear and shorts. She helped him get dressed, making sure he was comfortable. "There, all better."
Evan looked up at her, his embarrassment fading. "Thanks, Mia."
"Anytime, kiddo," she replied, ruffling his hair affectionately. "Now, how about that movie?"
Evan's face lit up again. "Yeah! Let's do it!"