Chapter 8: Many years ago Cindy was a little nine year old girl just beginning to learn what being a girl and young woman was all about. Now it’s the week between Christmas and New Years and the two lovers are taking the final steps. When I started this writing this series of stories last year, this chapter was always the objective. Although this chapter represents the most important thing in Cindy’s life up to now, the story is far from over, and it won’t be completed for quite a while.

Chapter 9: The Brewers are invited for dinner, and although they didn’t know it at the time, they are going to meet The Wizard. Once again Randi manages to steal the show. The Brewers are surprisingly accepting.

Chapter 10: Don and Cindy, Bobbie and Andy, and Avery and Myrna spend a delightful weekend at their favorite place. We find out that Avery remembers some other things. Bobbie and Cindy meet an old acquaintance. Someone they met in Cynthia and the Dumpster Diver.

---

 

If you haven’t read the previous stories about Cindy and how she arrived where she is now, you should probably read them. Start with An Incremental Journey, Cynthia and the Reluctant Girlfriend, Cynthia and the Dumpster Diver, Cynthia and the Moment of Truth, and Cynthia and the High School Years — Part 1. This story, the twelve chapters, completes the Cynthia Chronicles, Volume 1.

Part 2 is almost as long as part 1. It is 12 chapters and 27,500 words long. There are many more stories out there, and bits and pieces are being discovered almost every day.

I have researched the Spell’s—R-Us Universe diligently and cannot find anything that violates it, other than that The Wizard is a bit kinder and gentler than sometimes reported. Don’t get me wrong. Given an opening, The Wizard could resort to some of his more ironic and nasty transformations. I’m sure that could happen at any time.

Holly really took me to task this time due to my poor sentence structure and punctuation. She wields a firm ruler and isn’t afraid to use it; my poor knuckles. Thank you so much, Holly, for making this more readable!

This work is copyrighted by the author and any publication or distribution without the written consent of the author is strictly prohibited. This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance of the characters to persons living or dead is coincidental.

---

 

Cynthia and the High School Years, Part 2 — Chapters 8, 9 & 10
 

Chapter 8 — Two lovers.

He parked the car near the shelter of a large spruce. It didn’t really afford much protection from the driving snow, but it was fairly close to their little cottage. There had probably been more than six inches of snow since they had departed their little nest for dinner, and whether they recognized it or not, the size of the flakes indicated the temperature had dropped considerably. What had been big feather-sized flakes lazily drifting down, were now much smaller but more numerous flakes being driven by an increasing wind.

Cindy was bundled in her new coat and hood as the car had barely time to heat up during the short drive from the restaurant. She was waiting for Don to come around to her side of the car. He had insisted on being the proper escort since the beginning of their little trip, and at first it had almost been embarrassing, but she quickly realized that it was very important for him to do everything properly. She had decided she would just sit back and enjoy his attention. He came around to her side of the car and opened the door while trying to protect her from the driving snow.

They laughed as they huddled together and made a half run to the door while kicking loose snow everywhere. The metal awning over the door did absolutely nothing to protect them from the snow, and in spite of her warm hood, the snow was hitting her exposed skin and melting in little drops. Don fumbled with the door key, and his gloved fingers lost control. The key dropped into the fresh snow, almost disappearing. As Don crouched to pick it up, a gust of wind blew a cloud of snow off the roof, depositing it on both of them. He found the key, quickly opened the door, and gave her a gentle push as he followed her in.

They stomped their feet on the braided throw rug that would hopefully absorb much of the yet to be melted snow. Don took Cindy’s coat, and hung it along with his on the coat rack near the hinge side of the door.

She was wearing a beautiful wool ski sweater with a bright Nordic pattern that did nothing to hide her beautiful figure that for some reason seemed even more spectacular that night. They made a strikingly handsome couple. She had turned many heads as they had entered the restaurant earlier that evening, and Don had received many appreciative glances from the ladies, as well. It was strange in a way because they were so young, yet no one seemed to notice that. The one thing the restaurant patrons would remember was they were two people deeply in love with each other.

“Here, help me get this sweater off.” She raised her arms over her head. He stood behind her and gently pulled the sweater up. Her light blouse pulled out of her ski pants and rose up right along with her sweater.

“Sir, are you trying to take advantage of this maiden?”

“Well, the thought had entered my mind.”

“All in good time, rub my back; I’m cold.” She wasn’t really cold. She just wanted to feel his touch. His hands had warmed a bit, and he gently smoothed his hands over her perfect skin. She smelled so good. His right thumb and forefinger squeezed the juncture of her bra straps, and the bra popped open.

“Sir, how dare you?” His hands gently found their way around her side as he buried his face in her hair and kissed the nape of her neck. His right hand gently separated the cup of her bra from her breast and found its way to the stiff nipple that was waiting in anticipation of his gentle caress.

She was not disappointed. He could see and feel the goose bumps rising on her skin. She leaned back, allowing him access. She could feel his erection pressing against her. She turned, keeping her bra pressed against her breasts with her right forearm. Her left hand gently reached up and caressed his face.

“Why don’t you take a shower? I have to remove my makeup.”

As they hung their clothes in the small closet, he caught more than a glimpse of her beautiful breasts as she donned one of the terry cloth robes the inn had provided, before she sat at the dressing table. Wearing only his tented boxers, he made his way into the luxurious bath. There was a spacious shower, and a Jacuzzi tub that probably could have comfortably held four people. He had no plans to use the latter that night, but felt they would probably be sharing it before their stay was over.

He made sure he didn’t use up the hot water. He dried off with a plush towel, and found the mate to Cindy’s robe on the back of the door. She met him at the door as he left the bath.

“If you used up the hot water, you are in serious trouble.”

He gave her a quick kiss. “There might be a little left.”

Cindy had opened the bed, and Don slid between the sheets and pulled the duvet over him. The sheets were cool, but his shower warmed body soon had it comfortable. He heard the shower turn off, but it was a while before she opened the door. She had left the night light on, and it silhouetted her body through the sheer material of the babydoll she was wearing. Her mother had given it to her at Christmas. It hadn’t been under the tree.

“This is a very special time, and you must give the appearance of propriety. You are my first daughter, and I won’t have you jumping in bed with your future husband and not be properly attired. He must unwrap you: the beautiful gift that you are.” Marissa had paused, and then broken into tears. She hugged Cindy to her, their tears spotting each others’ blouses. Nothing else was said.

He lay there taking in her beautiful visage while lifting the duvet to make space for her. She slid in next to him. Her soft smile was beautiful. “You smell nice,” he said with a smile as he gently untied the ribbons that held the collar of the babydoll together. “So do you, my love,” she responded.

They kissed for a long time, their bodies contacting almost their entire length. She wasn’t sure what to do, but Don took the decision making away from her early on. “Everything is like I remember. It’s almost like yesterday. Your smell, your skin, these beautiful breasts, your golden hair; it’s as if seventeen years never happened. I remember everything. I love you so much. I loved you from that very first day in the gym locker room. There was just something about you. You were so accepting, and I was so screwed up. When I told you what happened, and you kissed me, I was yours forever.

“Well, none of that happened, except for one thing. We both know what didn’t happen. We still remember, and I love you all the more for it. You are a sweet, gentle, and kind person who also happens to be very beautiful and very sexy. I have had seventeen years to learn what it is to be a man, and you have had nearly as long to learn how to be a woman. I don’t think anything else needs to be said. Now it’s my turn.”

They spent the next half hour or so just getting acquainted and reacquainting each with the other. For Don, it was a refresher course, for Cindy it was a bit different. There were still memories of her distant past, but now she was an observer, both visually and tactilely. Things became easier and easier, more natural as the minutes passed. Their biological instructions had been rewritten, and there had been considerable readjustment; however, nature has a way of making things work right for the inexperienced.

They both knew the time was right. Nothing had to be said. It was just right. They became one with only the briefest physical hesitation. She would say later she hardly knew it happened, even though the evidence was there later on. The ‘Vulcan Mind Meld’ was still there, and they had one of those rare first time experiences where everything happened just like it’s written in the romance novels. Cindy cried for quite a while, and he held her tightly. If the truth were known, he was crying right along with her.

“It’s done isn’t it? We have arrived, we are complete. Now we are just going forward as a man and a woman. We are going to have our own family, and we are just starting on an adventure. We hardly have a clue about where it’s going.” He kissed her lightly before gently leading her to the shower.

Far away, in a space that didn’t exist in their world, there was a little melodic chime. The Wizard looked up, and smiled to himself. He reached over to the bottle of ancient port, and poured another ounce into the multifaceted glass. It wasn’t actually glass; it had been carved out of the clearest tourmaline.

“This is a happy night, Wolf. I think things are finally back on track.”

“I can’t believe you were spying on them. Surely, you knew that you had nothing to worry about.”

“Wolf, our hopes rest in those two. I wish them all the happiness in the universe, and I don’t think we will have to worry about a thing. Still, I needed to know that all the trouble we’ve gone through is going to work out.

“I imagine they’re celebrating up at HQ right know. Fuck ‘em, to use the vernacular; those two kids deserve to be happy. We put them through hell to make up for our mistakes, and now we can take a little rest. We’re going to have a lot on our plates for the next few years. Let’s enjoy some peace.”

“I’m with you, boss.

“Say, do you think you could work it out for Maddy, the kids and me to have some fun? I think we need a good romp.”

“We’ll see. How about the four of you being arctic wolves on the tundra? That might be fun.”

They awoke the next morning to brilliant sunshine and the sound of the inn’s snow blower clearing the path to the dining room. They weren’t the last guests to show up for breakfast.

The crews had done a good job clearing the roads and highways, and after a substantial breakfast, the two lovers decided to go into the nearby village for a little shopping. It took a little while to clean the snow off the car, time that was extended by an amicable snow ball fight.

In spite of the fact it was the week between Christmas and New Years, there were a number of open shops. They bought a few trinkets, and Cindy found a scarf to her liking, but mostly they just enjoyed being together. On one of the side streets they found a diner that had the best hamburgers and fries imaginable.

They experimented with being together later when they filled the giant tub. It was fun for a while, but the water lost its warmth rather quickly, and it proved to be a very poor lubricant. They gently dried each other as they became chilled in the dry air of their cottage.

Quickly sliding under the duvet, they snuggled close together trying to regain some warmth. It didn’t take long, and soon they were joined. They still were when they fell asleep

Cindy would say later to Bobbie that any of the trappings she had carried forward from her previous life disappeared that first night. The last vestiges were gone. Bobbie smiled, kissed her, and said, “I know exactly what you mean. Isn’t it wonderful?”
”ƒ
Chapter 9 — Reorganization. Bringing the Brewers into the Family

The company Stan Lewis and his four partners had created after the deaths of the original owners had flourished over the years. Due to the benevolence of the Gontarski’s they had inherited the company, which at the time had been primarily involved in commercial real estate. The real estate market reflects the economy in many ways, and during a down market, they were able to invest in a number of commercial properties, including a number of older commercial buildings and warehouses.

As the company continued to grow, they found that there was an increased interest in loft conversions. Many of the properties they had acquired were perfect for this line of business. Amos Schmedlap had joined the company as the superintendent of construction. At the same time, one of the original partners decided it was time to retire, and Amos had been able to work out a deal to buy into the partnership. The real estate business continued to grow; however, the construction business grew even faster.

The five partners had eventually realized they needed to reorganize. Things had just become too big for them to do the jobs they had, and run the company, too. They had been together for nearly 20 years, and they knew they had to do something or implode. Marissa had been doing the accounting, and Susan Scrivener, one of the original employees, was doing much of the office management. Susan was just about ready to retire and move to Arizona to be with her children and grandchildren. For that matter, Marissa was seriously considering giving up the bookwork. She didn’t need to work for income, and had more than enough to do with her growing family, a family that, as yet unknown at that time, would continue to grow.

They had finally decided to create three divisions. There would be the construction division, marketing division, and real estate division. That was when they’d decided they were going to need a general manager to watch over everything so that each partner could concentrate on their areas of expertise. They put an advertisement in several of the business papers and journals for someone. At the last moment, Stan decided to put an ad in several of the military newspapers.

There were many applicants, and they interviewed several of them; however, one was head and shoulders above the others. Bob Brewer was the obvious choice. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that The Wizard probably had a lot to do with influencing the placement of the ads and getting Bob Brewer to read the one in the Air Force Times. That didn’t really matter as he was the best choice. The Wizard had just made sure that they connected.

It was now late winter, and Marissa was positively glowing in her pregnancy. She had discovered that with The Wizard’s enhancements she genuinely loved being pregnant and raising babies. The whole process went a lot more smoothly and nursing was no longer the chore it had been with Cindy and Tom, as it was now a very pleasurable and fulfilling task. She knew that The Wizard’s magic had made it possible, but it only enabled her to do what she had wanted to do all along.

She was certain she was going to have a girl, and Bobbie confirmed it early on. Still the doctor insisted on an amniocentesis because of Marissa’s age. Everything was fine, and the baby was a girl.

She had many months to go, but right now she had to worry about dinner and their special guests. Don and his parents would be coming, as would Bobbie and her parents. Their special guest would be The Wizard. It was time to let the Brewer’s in on some secrets.

Stan had mentioned to Bob that they were going to have a special guest at dinner, and Bob assumed it was going to be some potential customer. In addition to the three couples and The Wizard, there would be Don, Cindy and Bobbie. There was going to be a lot on the line; however, the general feeling was that they would be successful. Bob Brewer had not disappointed anyone. Hiring him had already paid many dividends, as he’d spotted a number of inefficiencies and a couple of new opportunities. To the surprise of some, he had proved to be much more laid back than many had thought a retired Air Force colonel would be.

The Wizard showed up early. He and Wolf just showed up at the front door. One thing was a bit unusual, as His Wisdom was dressed in a conservative business suit. His beard appeared to be neatly trimmed, and his hair was held back in a conservative pony tail with a nice solid silver clip. He had brought four bottles of Chateau Mouton Rothschild, 1980.

Cindy greeted him with a hug and kiss. Very few had ever been this familiar with The Wizard in the past; however, he found he rather enjoyed it. There had been some discussion circulating in the witch world about the nouveau witches in Connecticut who were much too familiar with His Wisdom, and that they were not aware of proper protocol and deference to someone of his stature. He wasn’t sure where these ‘rules’ had come from, and he didn’t feel he had to abide by them.

Randi bounded down the stairs and violated protocol before Evelyn arrived to take the smaller children down the way to the Schmedlap’s home. In fact, before the evening was over, protocol would be violated many times. He wasn’t complaining. Bobbie stifled a giggle when she saw how he was attired, and proceeded to violate protocol along with everyone else.

The Brewers were the last to arrive, and that was by design. There was one problem. How were they going to introduce The Wizard to a couple who probably weren’t even close to acknowledging that magic existed? “How do we introduce you?” Cindy asked. “I have a feeling that ‘His wisdom, The Wizard’ won’t go over very well.”

“This isn’t the first time this has come up,” The Wizard responded. “I usually use Aloysius Bettencourt if there is a need for a name. I think we can just say that I am looking for a location for my store. Once we get into the real reason I’m here, we’ll just drop all that. I don’t think there will be any problems.”

The Wizard didn’t really look too bad. His suit had come from Savile Row, but it did look a little out of place on the bearded and ponytailed Wizard. The suit was probably 20 years out of date; however, the ladies felt he’d made a good effort.

Cindy greeted the Brewers at the door with a welcoming kiss. Well, the kiss she gave Don was perhaps a bit stronger, as it hinted at what she would do to Don as soon as she got him alone in bed. Fortunately, Bob and Hilda were looking the other way.

Cindy escorted them into the family room where there were more hugs and handshakes.

“My God! Look at the size of that dog,” Bob Brewer exclaimed as he noticed Wolf spread out in front of the fire.

“Actually, he’s a wolf,” The Wizard stated rather proudly. “We’ve been friends for many years.”

“I thought having wolves as pets was illegal. My goodness, what does he weigh?”

“I think he was right at 185 at his last check up.” The Wizard looked over at the wolf, and the wolf raised his head a bit and nodded. At least that was what it appeared to be to Bob. “I don’t have to worry about the wolf thing. I’m sort of grandfathered.”

Bob had a look of concern on his face, as he was sure he had not heard what he had, but he decided not to pursue the matter. Besides, there was some great food and wine.

The theme for the evening was Italian and there were several bottles of chilled Prosecco (The Wizard’s gift of wine would be placed in the wine cooler and greatly appreciated later on.) along with a fabulous assortment of antipasto. The wonderful aroma of the much anticipated meal was permeated the house. The ‘La Prima Piatta’, angel hair pasta with a delicate Alfredo sauce was served shortly after they moved into the dining room. The wine shifted to a Chianti Classico for ‘La Seconda Piatta. There was beef, Steak Florentine, and fish, a delicate tuna. The side salad consisted of mainly lightly marinated artichoke hearts. Il dolce was a very nice tiramisu.

The adults were quite mellow by this time, although the under 21 crowd had limited themselves to a single glass of Prosecco. They had glasses of chilled lemoncello, though.

The Wizard stood, and was about to say something when Randi bounded down the stairs. Now this in itself wasn’t unusual, except, she had been over at the Schmedlap’s house with her younger brother. Evelyn was doing the sitting chores.

“Randi, what are you doing here? You’re supposed to be at the Schmedlap’s house,” said a concerned Marissa.

“Oh, I’m going right back. I just wanted to see if Wolf could come over and play. The girls wanted to play with him.”

“Well, I guess you are going to have to ask His Wis …. Oh dear, how did you get here anyway?

Just then, Cindy’s cell phone rang. Her current ring tone was Danse Macabre by Camille Saint-Saens. It was Evelyn Alden.

“Hi, Evelyn, she’s here. I figured you would be calling. She wanted to bring Wolf over there to play with the girls.”

“Well, she was here a minute ago. She went upstairs, but when I looked for her she wasn’t around. That girl! Maddy told me she used the door. I didn’t think it was big enough.”

“Just a second, I’ll ask her.

“Randi, what did you do to the door?”

“I fixed it so I could stretch it. It was real easy. I’ll show you how to do it sometime.”

The Wizard chuckled to himself. “Wolf, go play with the cats. I’ll call you when it’s time to go.”

“Sure, boss.” He raced Randi up the stairs. A moment later they heard the bedroom door close.

“Okay, Cindy, she’s here with the Wolf. She had me worried for a moment. That girl ….”

Cindy could hear Evelyn scolding Randi as she turned off the phone, “Young lady, don’t you ever do that to me again ….”

“I didn’t realize the children were upstairs,” Hilda remarked. “They certainly have been quiet.”

“That would certainly simplify things if they were,” said an exasperated Marissa. “Just when I think I have her under control, she does something like this.

“Would you explain things, Your Wisdom, before this gets totally out of control?”

“Just a minute, folks,” Bob interjected. “I would just like to run over a few things. First of all, Randi comes bopping down those stairs, except she’s staying down the street. My hearing is still good in spite of flying jets, and I could hear the telephone conversation. The baby sitter called to say Randi’s gone, and then I heard her very clearly say she was back and the wolf was with her. Not only that, I could swear I heard that wolf talk. Cindy asks Randi how she got here, and Randi says she stretched the door and that she would be glad to show her “It was real easy.”

“The real strange thing is that no one is concerned. I mean none of you even flinched. What are you, aliens from area 51?”

“No, I can assure you we are all from around here,” Stan said, “well, with the exception of His Wisdom. I’m not sure where he’s from.”

“Oh, I was born here, in what is now called Albania. It was in 1064 I believe, using your current calendar.

“Would you folks mind if I change? I think I have a slight allergy to wool.”

“Not at all, I think any pretenses we had of doing this gradually are moot. You can use the powder room if you would like.”

“That won’t be necessary, besides, I have a new robe.” There was a slight shimmering, and The Wizard was dressed as most who knew him were familiar with. “That was getting a bit uncomfortable.”

“Gott in Himmel,” Hilda gasped. “He is that Albus Dumbledore.”

“Actually, Albus is a 4th cousin two universes over.

“Let’s see. Where do I start? The whole point of this dinner was to start to ease the Brewer family into this interesting situation. I really had some neat parlor tricks planned; however, it seems that won’t be necessary, as Wolf and Randi have already provided enough interesting scenarios.

“Bob, you and Hilda, and the rest of you are very important people in an event that has been developing for some time. I am not allowed to say at this time how important it is. Just let me say that you have nothing to worry about. Nothing disastrous is going to happen.

“Did you ever wonder why Cindy and Don got along so famously for having known each other for only a few weeks?”

“We certainly did, and I still have trouble believing we let them go off like that,” Hilda said shaking her head.

“Well, would you feel any better, if I told you that Cindy and Don have been deeply in love for more than two years?”

“That’s impossible,” Bob sputtered. “They didn’t meet until last summer. There was no way. We weren’t anywhere around here.”

“Do you remember my saying something about parallel universes?”

“Well yes, but that’s just a bunch of hokum.”

“Just like talking wolves, and little girls moving from one house to another in an instant; just like me changing from wearing that awful suit to this very comfortable robe. I think you have to admit that something is going on the likes of which you have never experienced before. Let me assure you, you ain’t seen nuttin’ yet. Because whether you are ready or not, you are going on a figurative ride that will constantly amaze you, and the best thing is, it is going to be wonderful!

“You know how in those movies Albus Dumbledore takes memories with his wand and puts them in the scrying bowl so that they may be shared?”

“Well yes, but that is just in those books and the movies,” Bob allowed.

“Oh, you like fantasy? Actually, I knew you did.”

“How did you know that?”

“Well, I’m a Wizard ….” He turned to Bobbie and gestured with his open palm inverted.

She didn’t miss a beat, “… and he knows these things. He can read the surface of our minds. He could go deeper, but he won’t. All the women in these two families can do it to a certain degree, too. That includes Randi, the little imp. I don’t mean that literally, though sometimes, I’m not sure.”

“So, he’s a wizard, and you are …?”

“We’re witches. It’s really kinda neat. Cindy and I are still learning the basics; so’s Randi, but she is leaps and bounds ahead of us in many ways. I dread to think what’s going to happen when she reaches puberty. Our Mothers just found out a while ago that they are witches, too. They are just beginners, but they are catching up pretty fast.

“I think His Wisdom was going to tell you something about scrying.”

“That’s right, I was. What I have done is capture your memories from a universe very close to this one. They are not complete for reasons that will become apparent later on. Don will fill you in. I cut them off several years ago. After you go home this evening and go to sleep, the memories will be revealed. You won’t be flooded; they’ll just be there for you.

“I mentioned that Don and Cindy have been in love for several years. Something happened in that other universe so that Don and Cindy met when they were sophomores. There was one big difference. Don was Donna. You would have been very proud of her.”

“Would have? I take it that means we weren’t there. Were we …?”

“Yes, the two of you were no longer living, and that Donna no longer exists either; at least not in the physical sense. That’s why I cut the memories off. There’s no reason for you to have to relive what happened. Don will explain it to you.

“The evening is still young, and I think we should all relax and enjoy ourselves.

“Bob, you and Hilda don’t seem to be too disturbed by all of this, all things considered.”

“I’m not. There has been a lot going on over the last few months. It’s difficult to explain: however, I remember what Sherlock Holmes said to Watson, ‘How often have I said to you that when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth?’ What you have shown us tonight has changed the improbable to probable, and on to reality. I think I’m going to like this very much. This really makes life interesting.

“I just realized something else. I knew you looked familiar when we first met this evening; you were the doctor who just happened to be there when Don introduced us to Cindy at the soccer field that Saturday morning. The wolf was with you.”

There was a sudden noise from upstairs, and a moment later, three small cats chased by a larger tom raced down the stairs into the family room. Randi was right behind them followed by Evelyn Alden, Amos Jr. and Tom Jr. The three smaller cats took a position on top of the sofa. They were quite fluffed out and their tails were greatly expanded. The Wizard gave a little flick of the wrist, and the large tom cat morphed into Wolf. They were panting a bit but gradually regained their breath. Soon, the four were entwined and sound asleep in front of the fire.

“I don’t know what to say about her.” Evelyn was looking at Randi while trying, but not too successfully, to maintain a frown. Randi had a sad look; however, while her head was downcast, she was looking up through her eyelashes at Mrs. Alden. When Evelyn pulled the little girl to her and gave her a hug and kiss, the smile returned to Randi’s sweet little face rather quickly.

“She just sort of pushed along one side of the pet door, and the next thing I knew it was the size of a regular door. We pushed through the curtain, and here we are. What will she do next?”

“Your Wisdom, may we talk to you in private for a moment?” Cindy looked at The Wizard with a bit of concern. Bobbie had a similar expression. The parents had moved to the kitchen for the moment, and The Wizard was relaxing with a glass of port. Don had joined the parents for the moment. Cindy had told him that she and Bobbie needed to talk to The Wizard privately. There would probably be considerably more discussion going on that evening with or without The Wizard’s presence.

“Certainly.”

“This is a bit awkward, because we’re pretty sure that you already know what we are going to ask. But, here goes. It is obvious to us that we are not in control of things. There is much more going on than we realize. I guess what’s bothering us, is do we have any free will in this situation? Bobbie is seriously in love with Andy,” Bobbie nodded in agreement, “and Andy loves her without question. I love Don like I have never loved anyone else, or ever thought I could love anyone else, and I am sure he feels the same way. I guess what we want to know is, did you or someone else cast a love spell on us? Of course I can’t imagine that you did, but I wouldn’t know if you had. We’re willing to put up with a lot, but we need to know.”

“Cindy, Bobbie, you are right. There is quite a bit going on right now that you don’t understand. I guarantee that you will some day, and when you do find out, it will all make sense. I promise you this; the love you two share with your lovers is as real and genuine as could be. No one has done anything to influence that love. There haven’t been any spells cast or potions ingested. The love you have is absolutely real, and the only magic is what you have generated on your own. That love is pure and will never die.
”ƒ
Chapter 10 — Three Couples and a Quiet Weekend

On the Friday before the Presidents’ Day Weekend, three couples arrived at the bed and breakfast inn that already was and would continue to be a very special place for them over the years. Each couple had their own little cottage for their private times. The management never batted an eye about having three unmarried, obviously young couples spending the time they did there. The answer to that was simple. Bobbie had worked a little spell on the staff and establishment the year before and certain facts were ignored.

This was a weekend of celebration for them. Don and Cindy had been accepted for Boston College; Myrna had been accepted at Harvard, and Bobbie had been offered a full athletic scholarship at Wake Forest. Of course, they were also celebrating their love for each other.

Another couple was also celebrating their love there. Cindy had noticed the car with the tattered streamers and shoe polished windows as they pulled into the parking area. Somebody had just gotten married.

The three couples met in front of their cabins for dinner, and as they started for the dining room, the newlyweds left their little love nest. The bride was a very attractive brunette, tall and slender, with a dancer’s body. The aura of her happiness was so strong it was almost like a small electrical storm. Cindy recognized her immediately, and the gentle elbow in her side from Bobbie, let her know that she had recognized her too.

The three couples had a nice table in a bay window, and the newlyweds were at a table not far away. Early in their meal, the bride rose to go to the restroom. Cindy nodded to Bobbie and they followed her in. The restroom was beautifully appointed and gave a very homey feeling. The wallpaper was definitely country kitsch, the lighting was pseudo Victorian, and there was a nice scent from a bowl of potpourri.

They waited until the woman finished and came out to touch up her makeup. She didn’t really need any help.

“Hi Sonia, congratulations,” Cindy said with a loving tone.

“Do I know you?”

“Not really. I’m Cindy Lewis, and this is Bobbie Schmedlap. We are here with our best friends. Do you have a moment? Bobbie and I would like to talk with you.”

“I guess so, though I’m not sure why.”

“Bobbie, is the room secure?”

“Yes, no one will want to come in until we leave.”

“What’s this about? You obviously know me.”

“Well we did meet after a fashion about seven years ago. I want to assure you that Bobbie and I mean no harm.”

“No, I guess you don’t. Seven years ago? Where would that have been?”

“It was in a little specialty shop in the mall. Your brother was with you. You met a very sweet old man dressed in a robe.”

“Oh my God, you were there? You know about me?”

“Sonia, we were like you were. We were changed, too. The Wizard is our dear friend. We just wanted to tell you how happy we are for you, and that if you ever need help you can contact us, and we can contact The Wizard if necessary. We keep track of many of his transformees.

“Bobbie and I are actually witches, so there is a lot we can do that is a bit out of the ordinary.

“So how’s Gary doing?”

“He’s a cardio-vascular surgeon in Philadelphia. I have two nieces. He married a beautiful doctor from Pakistan. It took some getting used to. After the change, I was a bit euphoric, to say the least. My parents had changed so much that it was difficult to accept. They had been so hateful to both of us, and suddenly they were so loving and accepting. They can’t wait until I give them grandbabies. They have even switched political parties.

“They were so in love that he brought Sarah home, that’s her American name, during the second month of his residency. Before, my parents wouldn’t have let her through the door. She was a foreigner, and a rather dark skinned one at that. Her family is Hindu, which is rare in Pakistan, and that was why they moved here. They greeted her with open arms. If I could see The Wizard again, I would give him a hug and kiss. It’s long overdue.”

“If you go to the mall after your honeymoon, he will be there, I promise. He would love to see you. Well, we had better get back to dinner before they think we fell in.”

They gave Sonia a group hug and kiss before Sonia preceded Cindy and Bobbie back to the dining room.

“She’s going to have a boy. He will be quite handsome. They got lucky the first time,” Bobbie whispered.

Myrna and Avery were basking in the glow of some excellent love making. It always was.

“Myrna, don’t be mad at me, but I remember.”

“Remember what, my wonderful lover?”

“I remember how you were before your change.”

“Oh shit, you weren’t supposed to.”

“It sort of fell out about the same time I remembered about Donna. Why did you do it? I mean, I love you regardless. You didn’t need to worry about losing me. I always loved what was behind that cute little nose and beautiful brown eyes. At least you didn’t change these wonderful nipples of yours.” He gently drew one in and teased it with his tongue. “I guess I shouldn’t complain though. I am the envy of a lot of the guys. I mean, you are absolutely drop-dead gorgeous, and I guess that goes with that gorgeous mind of yours.”

“Why would I ever be mad at you? I am so lucky to have found you before some gentile did. I didn’t change for you, though I gladly would have, had you asked. The change was a gift from Cindy and Bobbie. They bought me some lingerie from The Wizard’s shop. You know how The Wizard reads minds? Well he knew what I had secretly desired since before puberty set in, and he programmed the lingerie to change me. You are one of very few outside the witch world that know that I didn’t always look like this.

“It’s funny how reality works. In order for these changes to happen, a few genetic changes had to happen. Both my mother and sister are larger in the bust now, too. Of course the fact that Patty is pregnant might have something to do with it. This does mean that our daughters will be quite well endowed. With my genes and your mother’s, they won’t stand a chance.

“I can see that all this talk about breasts is getting to you. It’s getting to me too. On your back; now this goes right here … yesss!

“Here’s an advantage, See how much easier it is for you to pay proper attention to my nipples now? Oh, you are so good.”

Marissa was holding two tiny kittens in her lap. “They were in the shed down by the pond, and Maddy was desperate. If she could have cried, she would have. A cat, a very wild, feral cat was hit by a truck yesterday morning. Maddy had tried to convince her to find some humans, but she would have nothing to do with people. She had a feral mother and had been taught to avoid people at all costs. We had a funeral down by the pond that must have been attended by 50 cats.

“She wasn’t even a year old, and these two little ones are less than four weeks. Maddy says there were two others in the litter, but they didn’t survive. The mother was really too young. We got kitten formula from the vet, but The Wizard has fixed it so that Maddy can nurse them in a while. He says the changes have to be slow.”

A very concerned Maddy was sitting on a chair next to Marissa. “I’m about ready. My pretty little flat boobs are getting swollen. I can’t believe how much my nipples have grown, and I seem to be getting anxious about the kittens. It’s this mother instinct thing. They slept with me last night and tried to nurse, but nothing has come in yet. It should be just a few more hours.”

Marissa put the little nursing bottle aside. “They’re full now, so you are going to have to take over in a while. Their little bladders fill up pretty quickly.”

Cindy watched in awe as she learned something about the care of baby kittens. Maddy would gently stimulate them with her tongue to encourage urination. “You don’t have to watch if you don’t want to, but this is how it is done. For me, it is perfectly normal. I don’t find it disgusting at all, and they might die if I didn’t do this. You could stimulate them with a wet, warm Q-tip and get the same results. This is better for me as the adoptive mother.” Maddy was able to start nursing them that night.

So that’s how Marissa and Sally obtained their associates. In two more weeks, the two little balls of fluff were using the box, much to Cindy’s relief. Maddy, Chloe and Silky had already started them on their lessons. The two were almost identical tabbies. Their markings were very strong, with no breaks. There was one difference. Petra had a pink nose, and Selene had a black nose.

They would eventually be several inches taller than their adoptive mother, little, short legged Maddy; but she is the most beautiful and intelligent cat in the world, and don’t you forget it.

Next time: There are several loose ends to take care of. Cindy and Don have to find a place to live in Boston. Myrna and Avery already have a place, tiny as it is. Bobbie is already set up with Andy at Wake-Forest. Finding a suitable place to live proves to be difficult; however, they realize there are several options for the future. They do find a homeless teenager who is living a very precarious existence. Cindy, Bobbie, and The Wizard save the day. This adventure draws to a close. College starts in a week. The Wizard is finally able to sleep peacefully.