The sensation was overwhelming, and the disappointment on my father's face was unmistakable. I couldn't control it long enough for him to help me undress and use the bathroom like other boys. As we stopped at the bathroom door, my father let out a heavy sigh.

"Martha!"

At that moment, urine began to seep through his shirt. Tears of embarrassment streamed down my face; the shame was unbearable—I couldn't believe I couldn't manage to hold it until he could carry me to the bathroom.

My mother heard his call and immediately appeared behind him. "What's wrong dear?"

My father turned to her and sighed once more. "Could you grab a change of clothes for Sammy? And another one for me, please."

In just three seconds of silence, my father's anger dissipated. Without him, our situation would be completely different. He always had a knack for handling tough situations.

With my head down, and avoiding eye contact with him, I mustered the courage to apologize. "I'm sorry, dad."

He looked at me and smiled. "It was an accident, son. No fault of yours."

My father drew me closer, lifting my arm and sniffing at my armpits. "Looks like you need a bath, don't you think?"

"Sure."

We went into the bathroom, where he helped me sit on the toilet, beginning to remove my damp clothes. "Can you sit here by yourself for a bit while I get your bath ready?"

With a half smile, I looked at his eyes. "I will do my best."

It required a significant amount of my energy to maintain balance using the rails around the toilet. Meanwhile, my father turned on the faucet, letting water flow in the bathtub.

"It's ready, a bit warmer than usual. Is that alright with you?"

"Yes, that's fine Dad, thank you."

"Full cap of soap, a little stir to get those bubbles going, and... perfect! Now, don't get too crazy with those bubbles, ok?"

He carefully lifted me in his arms and gently placed me into the tub. The water was pleasantly warm, and the surface was frothy with bubbles, just how I liked it. The comfort of the warm bath made me feel a bit better after the earlier incident.

"I'll be back with some fresh clothes. Don't sink any of my battleships yet; I'd like a chance to defend myself before being defeated."

"I'll try not to."

He left the bathroom door slightly ajar as I slowly submerged myself in the tub, enjoying the tranquil motion of the water around me. The warmth enveloped me, easing the earlier discomfort and embarrassment, and allowing me to relax in the peaceful solitude of the bath.

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A feeling of guilt pressed heavily on me. The recent incident had instilled a deep sense of shame. I began to view myself as a burden to my parents, unable to assist with household tasks, and struggling with eating and sleeping. It felt as if everything was collapsing around me. But then, unexpectedly, a splash in the water interrupted these thoughts. The water hit my face, leaving me covered in bubbles.

"This is a dull way how to take a bath."

I blinked through the suds to see a boy materializing in the tub alongside me. He had blond hair, and green eyes, and around his neck hung a gold necklace adorned with a charm identical to the girl's brooch—an angel playing a trumpet.

"I don't appreciate the splash on my face. The soap stings my eyes." I said.

"It's a war tactic. I picked it up from one of the most feared pirates across the seven seas," the mysterious boy said. "Or is it nine seas? The idea is to blind your enemies to your intentions, and then you're sure to win the battle."

His presence was a welcome relief from the solitude and the persistent guilt echoing in my mind. Although his sudden appearance was peculiar, the boy didn't exude a sense of danger, much like the girl I encountered the previous night.

"Are you looking for a fight?" I asked the strange boy.

"As far as I can tell, you're already on the losing side of this battle."

"Oh, really?!" I scooped up a handful of bubbles and began constructing small mounds. "I need more soap."

I took the soap bottle and emptied it entirely into the water. Frantically, I stirred with my hands, working to produce more bubbles to replenish my forces. To my amazement, the boy waved his hand, and the bubbles started forming into shapes that resembled actual pirate ships.

"That's pretty impressive. All I can manage to mold is a ball of fluff."

"Would you like to learn how to do the same as me?"

I smiled and nodded eagerly, intrigued by his offer. The boy took my hand and placed a small cluster of bubbles on it. Miraculously, the bubbles began to move and soon formed the shape of an airplane.

"I was just thinking about an airplane! Amazing!"

My fleet transformed from mere balls of bubbles into a formidable array of airplanes and warships. Together, we engaged in playful combat, hurling water balls at each other and methodically sinking the ships one after another. The airplanes soared above us, dropping bubble bombs on the vessels, causing water to splash all around. In a dramatic finale, one of my warships rammed into the boy's last pirate boat, securing a triumphant victory for my fleet in our friendly battle.

"I yield. You have won the battle, general." The strange boy said.

The door swung open abruptly. My father entered, carrying my change of clothes, but he halted in his tracks at the sight of soapy water splattered all over the bathroom walls and floor.

"Wow," he said, astonished by the water streaming down the walls to the floor. "I guess I lost the war."

Just like lollipop girl, the strange boy vanished without a trace. My father, adapting quickly to the situation, gathered several thick towels and spread them across the wet floor.

"That's one way to deal with our mini lagoon."

He carefully lifted me out of the bathtub and seated me on the toilet.

"Here," he said, handing me a towel. "A really nice, fluffy towel. It's actually the last clean one we have, reserved just for you."

I longed to shake off this persistent sense of being a burden. It felt as if I had placed an immense weight on my parents' shoulders, one that at times seemed too heavy for them to bear.

"I love you, son. Never forget that."

I embraced him as tightly as I could, drawing comfort from his words. Yet, even with his reassurance, I couldn't fully dispel the nagging feeling about the significant challenge my presence posed.