Little By Little (Scenes 001-011)

Hi all, I'm starting a new story! The plan, for Patreon, is to keep this new story, Little By Little, and Experiment 76 going as the primary long-term stories going forward. I also plan to add "Oops, I Shrunk The Sitters" to the mix due to the overwhelming response to the past poll. Some one-offs are still possible! They both involve slow shrinking, and from my earlier polls, it seems more of you wanted slow shrinking, therefore, you shall have it! The plan is to keep both different enough so they have their own unique aspects, while still sticking to the slow shrinking style. Enjoy, and have a great weekend!

001:

I remember this day like it was yesterday...

The light filtered through my bedroom window, a bright warmth that nudged me gently from the depths of sleep. I lay there for a moment, feeling the comforting weight of my sheet and blanket. I blinked slowly, my vision blurry, the edges of my room melting into soft shapes and shadows.

I stretched my arms, the satisfying crack in my joints serving as a gentle reminder of recently turning 40. I sat up slowly, the warmth of the covers still wrapped around me providing some resistance to leaving the comfort of my bed.

I glanced at my phone, 6:46am, nearly 15 minutes before my first alarm, easily losing 30 minutes of sleep. Going back to sleep now for 30 more minutes would be a big mistake, so I groaned and committed to exiting the comfort of my bed. But hey, I naturally woke up this time! I didn't snooze my alarm 3 times and then rush to work. I was never really a morning person, but my job forced me to be.

In the dim morning light, the world outside my window was just starting to come alive. The birds were well into their morning chirping, and I could hear more traffic outside, others heading to work earlier than even I had to. I'm glad I'm not them... I work from home and also go into the office sometimes, whether for leisure or an important client visiting. I decided to go today, Friday, as they were bringing in lunch for everyone. I guess they found the best way to get people into the office is to bribe them with free food. Hint: It works.

And with that thought, I pushed the covers off, spun to the edge of the bed, and planted my feet on the cold floor.

002:

Yes, more yawning and stretching was required. No one was there to watch, so I made all the noises, cracks, and faces that I needed to make. The fog was lifting from my sleep eyes, and for that matter, my brain.

As I sat there, my tired reflection stared back at me from my full-length mirror.

I adjusted my tank top and reached over to my phone, turning off the alarm. I work up early and earned the right to not hear that godawful sound…

I then flipped the switch next to my bed, preparing my eyes for the next few seconds of torture.

003:

The lights stung my eyes like needles. It never mattered how much I squinted or slowly opened them, it always hurt those first few seconds.

I got to my feet and made my way to the bathroom. Luckily, our house has 2 bathrooms, with my room having one all to myself. As I walked towards it, I caught a closer look of myself in the mirror above my dresser, where I did my makeup.

Ever since I turned 40 a couple of months ago, I've been feeling more self-conscious about my looks. I'm not sure why 40 triggered it in my head, but it did.

Looking at my reflection, I traced the lines that had gently etched themselves on my face over the years. They were like delicate brush strokes, each one telling a story of laughter, worry, surprise, and all the emotions that colored my life. My eyes, once so vibrant, seemed to have lost a bit of their sparkle. It's not just about vanity; it's about witnessing the inevitable march of time.

I ran my fingers through my hair, noting the strands that no longer held their youthful luster. Women often talk about losing their glow as they age, and standing there, I could understand what they meant. There was a time when I felt invincible, radiant, as if I could conquer the world with just a smile. Now, that confidence seemed to wane, replaced by a quiet acceptance of the passing years.

It's not just the physical changes. Turning 40 brings a cascade of reflections. You think about the dreams you've chased, the ones you've caught, and those that slipped away. You ponder the roads taken and those left unexplored. There's a certain weight to these thoughts, a gravity that wasn't there in the carefree days of youth.

As I scrutinized my reflection, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of self-consciousness. It's a strange thing to witness the bloom of youth fade, to feel as though you're slowly becoming invisible in a world that worships youth and beauty. But then, I reminded myself of the strength I'd gained, the wisdom I'd accumulated, and the battles I'd won.

I repeated, once again, to myself: "You're 40 Alice... And that's ok."

I continued my short trek to the bathroom.

004:

Flipping on the lights in the bathroom, I did not have to endure the stinging pain again.

I moved to the sink, getting out my fancy toothbrush I had gotten as a gift. Can you believe these things have multiple settings for brush styles and even connect to your phone to track how well you are doing? Technology is getting crazy...

Leaning on the sink and brushing didn't help me focusing on all the imperfections I saw, the worn body I inhabited, but I quickly turned my thoughts to preparing for the day, spitting into the sink and proceeding to the shower.

005:

I dried myself off, noticing I had taken a bit too long in the shower. I need to get moving to get to the office at a reasonable time.

I quickly put on my blouse and skirt, followed by my blazer. I brushed and hair sprayed, and threw on my standard black heels, followed by a little blush and lipstick. Nothing crazy, but enough to increase my confidence as I looked at myself in the mirror.

"You're 40 Alice... and you're going to own it." I said to myself this time, with a smile.

I could hear a noise downstairs. I looked at my phone, 7:42am, and was surprised to be hearing any noise at all.

I grabbed my phone and purse and made my way to the kitchen.

006:

As I entered the kitchen, I was greeted by the smell of eggs and toast, her favorite "no time to eat but I'm hungry" meal.

It was my stepdaughter Natalie, although, at this point, I truly considered her my daughter.

"Morning sweetie!" I said proudly.

"Morning mom..." she responded weakly. She was not a morning person, like me, and was basically a zombie until she had some coffee.

You see, without going into detail, I can't have kids of my own. Therefore, admittedly, when I was dating, I enjoyed finding someone with a child, even if it meant baggage. Nearly 10 years ago at this point, I met Bruce, a divorced father, who had full custody of his daughter (we won't go into why...), Natalie, who at the time was 8. In short, we hit it off and got married 18 months later. At this point, I already felt like a full-blown mother to Natalie, and our relationship was amazing. Unfortunately, the marriage was not.

In short: He changed, or maybe I just didn't see the warning signs. He became verbally abusive. I put up with it for the sake of Natalie, but once Natalie was older, about 13 or 14, he started to do the same to her. That's when I drew a line. With the full support of Natalie, I divorced him. He would get her most weekends and I the weekdays. The day she turned 18, which was only a few months ago, she was able to do what she wanted, and choose to cut ties with her father and live with me full time, while she started college.

Seeing Natalie in her long-sleeved sweater and being so sleepy, I honestly couldn't tell if she was wearing anything else.

"I hope you've got something on under that sweater..."

Still half sleeping, she responded: "Wha-what? Of course I'm wearing underwear mom..." she chuckled lightly. "I'm not THAT free spirited..."

"Just checking. You never know with you kids these days..."

"Young adults, thank you very much! And you sound like an old woman when you say things like that..." she responded.

"That's what moms are for!"

"Remind to never take a once-a-week class on a Friday that starts at 9am and ends at 11:30..." she said, as she slowly put the egg on her toast from the pan.

"You're going to have to get used to it anyways, might as well start now!"

She didn't respond, still slowly getting her toast and egg ready, with barely enough brain power to perform that task while in her state, let alone have a conversation.

007:

As she grabbed her power breakfast and walked by, I saw a coffee in her hand from the local coffee shop. I put my hand on her shoulder to stop her. She looked up at me. I was a tall woman of 5'11", but her mother was quite short from what Bruce had talked about, and while Natalie wasn't very short by any means, she wasn't tall.

"What, no fancy coffee for me?" I said, joking as I normally drank coffee from a pot, “like a neanderthal” as Natalie once put it.

I added. "There's no way you went and got that in your state..."

"Got it delivered…" She responded, barely looking up at me with her sleepy face. If you can’t already tell by her face, she hasn’t had a sip of it yet.

"You answered the door like that?"

Natalie nodded. "Yeah, I did. You should have seen the delivery guy's face. He was at a loss for words."

"Well at least you didn't give him a totally free show..."

"Ya he should have tipped me..." she responded as she finally took her first sip of her coffee, some life showing in her eyes, making her way back upstairs to her room.

We had a good relationship, we both knew we were joking with each other, and we had each other’s backs, with all we’ve been through, it was a tough bond to break. I couldn't have asked for a better daughter.

008:

I didn't require a fancy coffee like my daughter, making a quick cup of coffee with a pod. I also wasn't much of a breakfast eater, so I skipped out. I checked my phone for any urgent emails, luckily none.

"Mom!" I heard Natalie call down. "Brittney can't pick me up... Can you drop me off for class?"

Luckily, in the divorce, I got the house and the car, but lost the 2 other cars. Bruce made more of the money than I did, and we were fortunate to get these things. However, I had to take on the payments myself, and that put me at my limit. There was no extra money for another car. Even at this point, with Natalie's part time waitressing job, she was even helping pay for food and phone bills. I wish I could provide more, but we were doing the best we could, and I would hopefully get a raise soon.

Luckily for her, her community college was on the way for work.

I checked my watch. "I'm leaving in 15 minutes, not one minute after!"

I heard the door slam shut, indicating she had initiated a 15 minute get-your-ass-ready routine. She liked to look good for school, so she had to use every second of those 15 minutes to their fullest.

A couple minutes before I was going to leave, I got in the car and honked twice. With only 30 seconds to spare, I heard the clacking of her heels on the walkway.

"Coming coming coming..." she said as she was hopping on one foot to finish zippering up her heel.

“Did you lock the door?”

“Yes yes…” she said, finally pulling the zipper up and quickly walking to the passenger door.

As she entered the car, I backed out of the driveway. Natalie was beautiful. She was wearing her white heels, black skinny jeans and a loose crop top, all paired off to show her figure off in various ways. I'm glad she has so much confidence, especially at such a young age. I know I didn’t.

She jumped on her phone, checking her messages, doing what young adults do, as I drove to our destinations.

009:

After dropping off Natalie, I headed to the parking garage and made my way into the office.

It was quiet. Being a Friday morning made it slower, even with the free lunch today. Some were bound to get in at 10 or 11, just in time for it.

I booked a desk. Being partially remote, I didn't have a desk, so I never got a chance to build up my own desk with pictures and fancy trinkets.

One of my co-workers, Jillian, saw me, and decided to book her desk next to mine. We chatted a bit, about work drama and what we planned on doing this weekend, as I waited for my computer to start up.

It ended up being a pretty uneventful day. The lunch was ok, not as good as we all thought it was going to be, but it helped make the day go by faster.

010:

I made my way to the parking garage. I was actually leaving later than usual on a Friday after getting a drink with a few co-workers, my phone showing 6:51pm. Natalie only had one class today and was most likely at work or hanging out with her friends, I couldn't remember if she had a shift in the afternoon or evening. Luckily, most of her friends at school and work had cars and could give her rides back home or to work if needed.

I backed out of the spot, paid at the exit, and headed home.

011:

I arrived back home. Natalie was not there as expected on a Friday night. Being 18 did not mean you were home on a Friday night, it just wasn't in the cards.

I, however, was glad to be back home. After getting back and getting my mind and body into relax mode, the clock was approaching 8pm. My Friday night plan was to read a book in bed and go to sleep. It was going to be a casual weekend, do some house chores, maybe go shopping, or see if Natalie wanted to do anything with her "old woman" mom. I smiled to myself as I said that, remembering what she said that morning.

And with that, in my PJs, I read my book for an hour or so, turned the lights off and headed to sleep.

I wish I could go back in time. I wish I had known this was going to be the last normal day of my life. I would have done something more eventful, something more meaningful, but it was just an ordinary day. I guess you just never know when your life is going to change forever...