Link: The Wisher's Paradox Title Page and Description

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An hour later, Christina emerged from the bathroom clean, in new clothes that used to be Kathy's, and with her hair dry and styled nicely. Making her way over to the dining room table, she saw no one there.

"Um... where's Kathy?" she asked nervously. "School?"

"In the kitchen!" her best friend answered loudly. "Daddy and I are making you something to eat!"

Smelling eggs, bacon, and toast, Christina's mouth watered so much it ached. Following her nose, she entered the kitchen and saw George and Kathy at the stove, Kathy giggling at something her father had just said. "Kathy?"

Turning quickly, the girl wasn't wearing the jeans and T-shirt Christina had seen her wearing before her bath. She'd changed into a cute top and knee-length skirt that made her look a little older and a lot more attractive. Smiling at the sight that greeted her, the sadness that had seemed to surround her since Christina's transformation seemed to have melted away. "Christina! You look gorgeous!" she stated dreamily.

Blushing, the girl looked down at herself. It had taken her quite some time in the bathroom to just strip down and look at herself. After a few minutes of anxiety, she started to get used to seeing her body as her own and climbed into the tub. When Kathy's mother came in and explained how to wash her new body, and a lot of other things she should have learned long ago as a girl, she found it easier to be around her while undressed. By the time Linda suggested the new outfit, Christina agreed and let the woman stay in the room as she dressed, accepting help as needed.

Looking down at the white blouse and cute black skirt she wore, Christina sighed with a kind of contentment she'd never known in her life. "You really like it, Kathy?" she probed hesitantly.

Looking at her best friend, Kathy felt a tingling in her tummy like when she would think of her best friend when she was called Walt. Now she felt it again, this time with the girl Christina had become. "Y... yeah, Christina! You look totally adorable!"

"You too!" Christina replied shyly.

Scraping some scrambled eggs onto a plate with four strips of bacon and a small slice of toast, George picked up the plate. "Grab the milk, pumpkin?" he asked his daughter.

Tearing her eyes away from Christina, she complied, pulling the milk out of the refrigerator and grabbing a glass from the cupboard. Following her parents and friend to the table, she set the glass down and poured it for her. "Here you go, Christina! I hope you like it!"

Seeing the food, she wanted to dive in and devour it quickly, but somehow restrained herself and took a normal bite of eggs, which even when she had been Walt was always small. Savoring the flavor that struck her as more full and rich than any eggs she'd ever eaten, she picked up a slice of bacon and bit into it, the salty tang mixing perfectly with the eggs and making her eyes roll back in her head. Chewing and swallowing, she took a drink. "This is so good, Mr. Grant! I don't think I've ever eaten eggs this good before!"

Raising an eyebrow, he smirked. "I didn't do anything special to them."

Watching Christina eat, Kathy smiled. "She did the same thing yesterday when I made her a peanut butter sandwich! She said it's probably because she's never really eaten anything before!"

Linda joined the three at the table after returning the milk to the fridge, putting a bowl of mixed fruit down next to Christina's plate.

"Why don't we give Christina a chance to eat, George?" Nodding toward their bedroom, she hoped he would take the hint.

Looking at his wife curiously, he furrowed his brow in confusion, but got up anyway; the two of them disappearing down the short hallway toward their room without a word.

Finally alone again, Kathy turned back to her guest. "I was really worried about you last night, Christina. I mean, really worried! I... I thought I might never see you again, and... um... it made me decide some things."

Finishing another bite, the girl turned to her. "Like what kind of things?"

Taking a breath and remembering the things her father talked to her about while Christina had taken her bath, as well as what her mother had said the evening before, she forged ahead. "Um... well, you know how I felt about you when you were Walt, and then last night I sorta let it slip out that I still feel that way about you the way you are."

Taking another breath as Christina stopped eating to listen, the girl continued. "Well, I sorta freaked when I did that. I never thought about another girl like that before. Then the more I thought about it, and after talking to Mom, I realized you were always a girl, even when you were Walt. It'd be shallow of me to... to love you when you were stuck being Walt and then not... um... love you... now that you can be yourself... the person I really loved."

Swallowing hard, Christina realized what Kathy was saying. "Um... so you... you still... um... love me? Even though I'm a girl now?"

Scooting a little closer, Kathy smiled shyly. "Um... yeah. I'm really glad you can be yourself now, Christina! I... I remember how much fun we used to have before I stopped calling you that! I mean, we still had fun when you were stuck as Walt, but... I mean... you were a little more... free back then."

Taking another bite, Christina tried to think about how she felt about Kathy. She's my best friend. she mused. Kathy's always been with me. When we started Kindergarten together and we went out to recess that first day, Miss Carter suggested I go play with the boys, but they were playing some dumb kickball game and I didn't want to. That's when Kathy took my hand and led me over to play jump rope with Beth and them. She made me so happy!

Remembering a dozen other times Kathy had been there for her when she was stuck in a boy's body, Christina felt that warm feeling in her belly once more. Looking over at the other girl, she felt a pang of regret that she hadn't seen sooner how much Kathy cared for her. She had always liked the girl, but before yesterday she was almost considered 'off limits' to Christina. But now? she asked herself.

Pausing her breakfast, she took a drink to collect her thoughts. Turning once more to Kathy, she cleared her throat. "Um... Kathy? I... I was thinking, I've always really liked you! You're like, my best friend! I... I'm scared to try being more than that, because if something were to happen and we broke up, I'd lose more than my... um... girlfriend. I'd lose my best friend too!"

Hearing what she took to be Christina letting her down easy, Kathy scooted away again. "It's OK, Christina." she lied sadly. "I understand. I mean, you just like me like a friend! Like... like a... um... a sister." Inside her heart ached and her feelings nearly overwhelmed her.

Scooting closer once more, Christina took Kathy's hand. "Well, not like a sister! I like you more than as a friend, or even a best friend! I am scared to try being more, but I think I'm more scared to not try!"

Overcome with joy, Kathy brought their joined hands up to her lips and delicately kissed the back of Christina's hand. Afraid to try anything else, she just reveled in the feeling for a moment.

Feeling Kathy's lips on her skin, Christina felt a rush of pleasure unlike any she'd ever imagined, but not a small amount of fear. What if we break up? I won't just lose a girlfriend, I'll lose my best friend and the only people in the whole world that believe who I am! Pulling her hand free with a weak smile, she sighed. "K...Kathy? Can we go slow? I... I know you like me way more than I like you! I... I just need some time to catch up, OK? I'm still trying to get used to all this!"

Smiling that she at least had a chance, Kathy nodded. "I understand! I... I'll try! You make it kinda hard, though! You're just too nice!"

Sighing contentedly, Christina returned to eating her breakfast.

After a few minutes, Kathy's parents came back out of their bedroom, having spent the time continuing their debate over what to do about Christina.

George looked at the small girl eating at his dining room table and wondered. Is it possible? Can that girl be Walt, the boy who's been in and out of here since Kathy was three? Watching the girl eat, the only thing even close to similar was the small bites she took. All girls eat like that! he dismissed the notion, but in addition to Christina's behavior growing up, it did make him consider that maybe 'Walt' was always more a girl than a boy.

Glancing over to his daughter, he noticed that Kathy was watching Christina eat like it was a romantic scene in a movie. Having missed the signs that Kathy had begun to fall for Christina before her transformation, George just shook his head and sat down.

"So..." he began, only to be interrupted by his wife.

"At least let the girl finish eating, George!" Linda mildly chided him.

Holding up his hands in mock surrender, the man sat back, folded his arms, and waited in obvious impatience.

Seeing him waiting, Christina picked up her pace. Even as hungry as she was, she almost didn't want to as the food tasted so good to her fresh senses. At last taking her final bite of fruit and finishing her glass of milk, she sat back and looked at the adults that sat across from her and Kathy.

"That was delicious! Thank you so much Mr. and Mrs. Grant!"

"It was nothing!" Linda downplayed the gift of feeding her. Looking over at George, she nodded.

Taking a breath, her husband looked over at the two children. "I want to start by saying that I'm not entirely convinced that you're Walt, Christina."

"But Daddy..." Kathy whined.

"Don't 'but Daddy' me, young lady!" he interrupted. "This whole nutty idea is insane, but... well... nothing else makes any sense, as nonsensical as that sounds, itself." Looking over at Christina, he shook his head. "All my life's experience is telling me that you're either crazy or the best midget con artist in the world, but you've managed one way or the other to convince both my daughter and her mother that it's true, and convincing her of anything she doesn't want to is a bigger miracle than a boy turning into a girl overnight!"

Nervous as to where this was all going, Christina fidgeted in her seat. "Mr. Grant? I know it's unbelievable! I hardly believe it and it happened to me! I really was the person you knew as Walt! I... I always wanted to be a girl, and now I am one! I just didn't have any idea how much it would mess up my life, and everyone else's at the same time! If I could take it back, I would, but I... I can't. Now I don't know what to do."

"We have an idea." Linda interjected, getting a look from George that made her amend her statement. "Well, I have an idea, but it means a big risk, firstly to you Christina, and then, if things work out, to us." Pausing a moment, she explained her plan. "Mr. Grant works for the Bureau of Vital Records. He could create a record of birth for you and insert it into the system. If he gets caught doing it though, he could go to prison."

"Then we shouldn't do it." Christina sighed. "I can't let anyone else get hurt in this mess I made. I won't do it!"

Leaning back in his chair, George whistled low. "OK. I'm convinced. That's Walt! He always was honest to a fault and wouldn't think of doing anything that sneaky." Looking at her, he cleared his throat. "Sorry... Christina."

Smiling weakly, the girl in question shrugged. "It's OK Mr. Grant. I'm used to people calling me Walt. You've been doing it for over eight years! I don't mind, really! I mean, it's nice that people can look at me and know I'm a girl now, but it wasn't your fault you thought of me as a boy before! I said that I was because, physically anyway, I was one, even if I wanted to be like this." she gestured to herself.

"You've always been very forgiving, dear." Linda pointed out with a smirk and a glance at her husband, who held his hands up again.

"There's still the problem of getting you back with your family, Christina." he pointed out. "You're going to have to go home eventually."

Shaking her head, Christina was near to tears once more. "They... they won't believe me, Mr. Grant! I... I tried... twice! Once when I first woke up, then again after I ran away from the hospital. Mother hung up on me and it very nearly got me caught!"

"How did you hide from that officer?" Linda had to know.

"I did it." Kathy admitted. Seeing her parents turn to her, she shrank back slightly. "I... um... I hid her... in my dresser."

Astonished, the two looked over at Christina who just nodded. Looking at the girl, they both concluded that she might be small enough for it to work.

"Sweetie, don't you know she could have been hurt doing that?" Linda gently admonished her daughter.

"She was fine afterwards!" Kathy tried to defend herself. "I mean, other than the fact that she had to go to the bathroom and almost had an accident, but it was an emergency!"

Laughing quietly, George just shook his head. "Moving on... we do have a plan for getting you back to your family, Christina. We're going to take you to them and support you when you try to convince them you're their child. If it doesn't work though, if they won't listen, it'll mean that you'll be back in police custody and we'll have some very ticklish questions to answer. So long as we stick to the truth, that you convinced us all that you used to be Walt, we can't get in any legal trouble. Believing you isn't a crime."

Thinking a moment, Christina looked over at the two. "My parents had some men over at the house last night. I think they were FBI. I heard Mother call one of them Agent Stewart. I heard them telling Mother that they think I'm the key to finding who kidnapped Walt. They won't just give up looking, either for Walt or me... as weird as that is to say!"

George sat back. "That complicates things. If the FBI is investigating Walt's disappearance, then your parents probably told them all they knew about you. Most importantly that it's impossible that you're their daughter." Turning to Linda, he shrugged. "That blows my idea for fixing things."

"Not necessarily, love." Linda countered vaguely. "I mean, they would still know, right? Wouldn't that be enough?"

"For them, sure." he answered. "What about the authorities, though?"

"What choice do we have?" his wife pleaded. "She needs her family!"

Looking at the scared girl, he took a breath and let it out slowly. "Alright! You're right! She can't just hide out here forever, and the longer this goes on, the worse it's going to get. Christina? I want to call your parents and set up a meeting, then we'll all go over there and you can try to get your family back. Are you up to this? Like I said, if they don't believe us, they'll probably call those agents and turn you in and we wouldn't be able to stop them. We'd have to let them take you away. What do you say? It's your life."

Turning to Kathy, Christina took her hand and saw the fear in her friend's eyes. Thinking it over, she turned back to George. "OK, Mr. Grant. It seems like the only way to go. It's honest, so my heart is telling me that it's what I need to do anyway. Having you three there will help a lot."

Nodding curtly, the man got up and headed for the phone. Picking up the receiver, he dialed the number that he'd memorized years ago due to the girls' friendship. Hearing the line ring, he hoped he had picked his words well.

Ruth Cocoran sat at her dining room table staring at her smartphone. Dark circles surrounded her eyes and her complexion had turned ashen, sallow, and drawn. She hadn't eaten anything more than toast or drunk anything more than a few cups of coffee in the last day. She'd only slept a few fitful hours, haunted by dreams of finding Walt and their happy reunion, only for it to be spoiled by waking back into her living nightmare.

Her husband David sat across from her, looking not much better. His large frame seemed to sag under a weight he couldn't carry, his shoulders hunched over and his normally happy eyes darkened with worry. His finger flipped through pictures the FBI had sent them of known pedophiles in the area in an effort to see if the distraught man or his wife might recognize one of them as having been in the area. The sheer number of them just made the two fear that even if they got their child back she might've had to endure a horrifying ordeal... and there was nothing they could do about it.

The two were also barely speaking to one another. After the two FBI agents had left the night before, they'd argued. Ruth wanted him to go out putting up Missing posters around the neighborhood, but David refused as they'd been advised to just stay at home in case 'Walt' came home or the kidnappers contacted them. David ended up sleeping on the couch that night, his dreams similar to those of his wife. This new task didn't improve their mood.

As soon as Ruth's cell phone began to ring, the two looked up at each other. Neither one had to say anything. They both were thinking the same thing; that it was someone calling to say they'd found their child's body.

Swallowing hard, Ruth looked down and sighed in relief. "It's Kathy." she sighed. "They probably want to check on us."

"Make it short." David said more snippishly than he'd intended. Turning his tone softer, he sighed. "I mean, they said to keep the lines free... just in case."

Glaring at him briefly, Ruth's expression lightened. "Alright." Tapping the icon, she put the phone up to her ear. "Hello?"

"Ruth? It's George."

"George? I know you're probably wanting to help in some way, but we're holding up OK and we need to keep the phone free, so..."

"Ruth!" he snapped. "I'm sorry, but this is important! We... we have some information that will help, but we need to talk to you alone... just you two and us. Would it be OK to come over there?"

Confused, Ruth was desperate. "O... OK, George. We'll be expecting you."

"We'll be there in ten minutes, Ruth. Just... just hang in there, OK? Bye."

"Bye." she answered vacantly. Closing the call, she looked up at David. "They said they have some information for us."

"I'll call Agent Stewart!" he stated eagerly.

"No!" she shouted weakly. "He... he said it had to be just us... no one else."

Furrowing his brow, David shook his head. "That doesn't sound right! We should call, Ruth! He might be in on it! We need help!"

"Don't you even think about jeopardizing this chance, David!" she barked. "You call anyone and we're through! Do you understand me?"

Bristling at her threat, he very nearly called the agent just out of spite, but his need to try and restore his family overrode his ego and he put his phone down. "Alright, Ruth. You win. We'll do it your way."

Calming down, Ruth only didn't cry because she had no more tears left to shed. She'd cried so many times in the last twenty-four hours that she was emotionally drained. The only clue they had to their child's disappearance was the crazy girl who tried to make them think she was 'Walt', and she was missing as well, having escaped police custody. Ruth was so desperate for information, she'd gladly take a call from kidnappers and entertain them as honored guests, if necessary.

The drive over to the Cocoran home was done in total silence. The whole way, Kathy wouldn't let go of Christina's hand; the worry and fear obvious in her expression. Pulling in front of their house, Christina looked out the car window at the familiar edifice and gulped. Well, here goes! Walking up to her door, it felt odd to knock instead of just walk on in.

Ruth was already at the door, having watched the car pull up. David stood behind her ready to pummel the man if he knew where his child was and wouldn't tell them. When Ruth opened the door, she looked down to see Christina standing and holding hands with Kathy, her child's best friend; her parents standing behind the both of them.

Seeing the crazy girl with her child's best friend made Ruth suspicious. She was not at all convinced that this wasn't some elaborate hoax that her 'son' and the Grants were playing. Still, even if it was, the only way to get it to stop seemed to be to play along. "Won't you come in?" she asked politely.

Christina could feel the coldness in the room. Her mother had no feelings for her other than polite tolerance. "Thank you, Mo... um... thanks."

Leading the four over to the dining room table, the five sat together a short time in silence, none of them sure what to say, with David standing behind Ruth with anger visible on his face. Finally, Christina spoke up.

"I guess you want to know what this is all about. I know you don't believe me, but... um... I used to be Walt."

"Go on." she answered bitterly. "I assume there's more?"

"You don't believe me, do you, Mother?" Christina sighed.

Standing up, Ruth turned to look away from the girl. "How can I?"

"I've never lied to you in my whole life, Mother. Why would I start now?"

"Walt never lied!" she pointed out. "I don't know who you are!"

"I'm still telling you the truth." Christina insisted. "I'm here because I need you to believe me! Otherwise, I wouldn't risk getting caught to be here!"

Turning to look at the girl, she was near to hysterics again. "Look, obviously you've been coached by Walt to know things that only he would know! Why are you doing this?"

"Mrs. Cocoran?" Kathy interrupted. "She really is Walt! I know it's her! I... I can tell."

"You're all in on this!" Ruth snapped.

Linda tried to calm things down. "Ruth! Please! Just... just listen to her!" Looking over at her husband, seeing him nod, she turned back to face the woman once more. "We believe her."

Christina tried once again. "Kathy and them had nothing to do with all this, Mother! She's here 'cause I needed her to be here! She's been my best friend for eight years! How can you think that I'd put you and Daddy through all this on purpose? Haven't I always been good?"

Hearing the girl speak, it was hard for Ruth to deny that she sounded so much like her child. When she turned and looked at her though, nothing of Walt showed. "My Walt has always been good! Where is he?"

"I'm right here, Mother!" Christina sobbed. "What can I do to show you I'm Walt? I'll do anything you want!"

A pang of guilt washed over Ruth as she watched the girl reduced to tears at her harsh words. Thinking for a moment, she had an idea. "OK, if you're Walt, you'll have your birth mark on the bottom of your foot."

Shaking her head sadly, Christina sighed. "It's gone. I looked."

Throwing her hands up in hopelessness, Ruth turned away from the four. "Well, I don't know what to tell you then! You're not Walt!"

"No she's not." Kathy stated plainly. "She's Christina. Walt was just someone she pretended to be." Seeing the look on her friend's face, Kathy shrugged. "Well? It's true, isn't it?"

With a nod, Christina blinked at her. "Yeah, it's true." Turning back to Ruth, she tried once more. "Mother? Ask me anything. If you think Walt coached me, he couldn't have taught me everything about him, right? But, if I really am Walt like I'm saying, there can't be anything you could ask that I shouldn't know. Right?"

Thinking a moment, Ruth nodded. "OK. What's Walt's favorite color?"

With a smirk, Christina shook her head. "I say it's green, but you know it's actually purple and gold... the colors I picked for my birthday last year."

Pursing her lips, Ruth tried a different tactic. "OK, what was it your grandma Edith said to you the last time you talked to her?"

Christina giggled lightly. "Great-aunt Edith was Grandma Virginia's sister, and she never said anything to me 'cuz she died a week before I was born!"

"What did you do that last night before you went to bed?" Ruth probed.

Swallowing hard, Christina looked away as she answered, bolstered only by Kathy taking her hand. "We... we watched Angels in the Outfield again, even though it was your turn to pick, then afterwards I kissed Daddy on the cheek and said goodnight, then kissed you and said goodnight before you asked if I wanted you to tuck me in. I... I said no, that I was a big boy, but I almost slipped and said big girl. Then I went to bed after saying my prayers."

Looking at the girl that appeared and sounded nothing like her child but at the same time talked so much like him, Ruth shook her head. "Alright. If you're Walt, why did you lie to your father and I about wanting to be a girl?"

Christina shrugged. "It... it was pointless, Mother. I didn't look anything like a girl. Even trying would just make it feel worse, reminding me every day that I could never be pretty... like you."

"Not every girl is pretty." Ruth pointed out. "Why would it matter if being a girl is all you really wanted?"

"Because trying to be a girl would have just been a big joke. I was gonna look like Daddy when I grew up! No one would believe he could be a girl!"

"You might have at least told us the truth, even if you felt it was pointless trying to live like a girl." Ruth grumbled. She could hardly believe it, but the more she talked to this girl, the more it seemed that she really was her child. I must be crazy! she mused.

Listening to the exchange, David shook his head. "This is nuts!" Turning to George, his face clouded over. "Where's my son? You have this Christina girl with you, and you're trying to peddle the same story she is, so you're involved! I want to know where Walt is right now or I'm calling the cops!"

Shrugging passively, George looked back at him calmly. "Do that and you'll lose your child forever, Dave. They'll take her away from you."

"Oh stop it already!" he shouted back. "That is not my son, George!"

"You're right." Linda admitted. "She's your daughter, David! Yes! It sounds totally crazy! I didn't believe it either until she proved it to me half a dozen different ways!" Turning to Ruth, her eyes softened. "Ruth? You know me! Our kids have been best friends for most of a decade. Am I some crackpot that falls for every sob story or line of bull? Would I believe her if she hadn't proved it to me? My God, Ruth! The girl was too embarrassed to look at her body to take a bath because she'd never seen herself naked as a girl before!"

"Mrs. Cocoran?" Kathy chimed in. "I... I have something to tell you. I... um... I've sorta been falling for Walt for a while now. I... I think I love her."

"My Walt is a boy, Kathy!" she snapped.

"Not really!" Kathy retorted. "I mean, when was the last time you saw her act like a boy? Have you ever? I mean really? She told me about the times you sent her to that therapist! She knew you were worried about her being too girly, but she couldn't help it! She was a girl inside... and... and... and it was her that I was falling in love with!"

Facing her own doubts, Ruth looked at Christina. "Yes. We were worried that Walt was acting too... effeminate."

Stepping forward, David scowled. "Walt told us, over and over again, that he was a boy."

Shaking her head, Christina sighed. "Daddy? I already explained that to you. I could never be a girl before! It was pointless to even try! So I told you I was a boy because technically I was... at least my body was. But Kathy's right. Did I ever act like a boy? Even once? Even a little?"

The wind taken out of his sails, David looked away. "No. Walt never did."

Seeing them at least willing to listen now, Linda presented her husband's solution. "George figured out a foolproof way to prove to you both that Christina is your daughter, if you're ready to hear that truth."

Looking at the woman in surprise, Ruth stepped closer. "How?"

"Have her genetically tested against you two for paternity and maternity." Linda answered. Turning to see the surprised look on Christina's face, she smiled. "You told us that your angel made you to look like a mix of your parents, right? That means that you should be a genetic match to them, like the way you were when you were Walt."

Thinking about it for a moment, Christina just nodded with a smile.