Link: Curse of the Werewoman Title Page and Description

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Chapter 5 - Holiday Surprises

The shopping trip Sunday evening wasn't nearly as bad as John thought it would be. He'd had difficulty at first, thinking at any minute people would start pointing and laughing at him, shouting 'dude looks like a lady' or things like that, but his transformation was flawless once he'd stopped fighting it and just went with the flow.

By the time they'd reached Mauricio's, a local women's clothing store, after having gotten more to wear than sweats at the local Penny's and changing at a gas station, Joan was starting to come into her own.

The next morning Joan was still there when the alarm went off.

"Sweetie! Time for you to get up!" Diane groaned as she shook the woman's shoulder. "Joan! Come on! Wake up!"

Her eyes cracking open slowly, Joan looked at her wife bleary-eyed. "Huh? What is it?"

"You need to get ready for work." Diane yawned as she reset the alarm for her own wakeup two hours later.

Dragging herself into the bathroom, Joan stopped and looked at herself in the mirror. Her mind only slowly returning to reality, she gasped in panic a moment before remembering that the moon wasn't supposed to set and the sun rise until nearly eight-twenty, the time when she would revert back to John and leave to get to work on time.

Showering and drying off quickly, she took a few minutes to dry and style her hair, even knowing it would soon be gone. Dressing in her women's underwear and a pad, just in case, she put on John's pants and shirt, waiting to button them up after she changed back. Grabbing a bite to eat, she waited patiently as the sky brightened and she felt her body begin to change.

With an almost melancholy sadness, she watched her breasts vanish into her body and felt her hair withdraw into her scalp. Buttoning up her top and pants, she grabbed her wallet and keys, giving Diane a quick kiss before running out the door to another day of work.

All day Joan felt different. Her cramps were minimal, her attitude was more relaxed, and she even engaged in a little 'girl talk' with Barbara when on a break. By the time five o'clock approached, she could barely notice the feeling in her belly, like she'd held going to the bathroom too long instead of feeling like she was about to explode.

"Can you lock up on the way out, John?" Barbara asked, grabbing her purse.

"Sure thing!" Joan chirped. "I'll be leaving right at five! Just finishing up a few things before I close out! Have a good night, Barb!"

Pausing to look at her most dedicated employee, Barbara had noticed Joan's change in behavior all day, but couldn't figure out just what was different. Shrugging it off, she smiled back. "Alright, John! You better get on home! Diane needs you! See you tomorrow! Oh! One more thing! Wednesday I'll expect you to be in costume! We're having a long Halloween lunch and all the girls in the office will be dressing up, so I expect you to as well!"

Pausing a moment, he nodded briefly. "O... OK, Mrs. Moon. I'll try not to disappoint!"

Driving home after locking up, Joan could feel the change coming. The ache in her arm was noticeable since the one in her belly wasn't as much. When she pulled into her driveway, she glanced up to see the last rays of the sun wink away. Looking over her shoulder, she saw the full moon rising and felt the pressure on her chest. Racing quickly, she barely managed to get inside and to the bathroom before her privates shifted and released a full day of menstruation at one go into the toilet.

Sighing in relief, she stripped John's shirt, tie, shoes, and pants off. Running a hand through her hair, she smiled at the feeling as she got re-dressed in her own slacks and top. Looking at the pants and they way they hung on her hips, she thought, I wonder if I could just wear these slacks to work? I think they'd fit John all right with a belt to keep them up. I should try that tomorrow!

Smiling as she began getting dinner ready, she found herself humming a tune from her childhood and thinking how happy Diane would be to come home to a nice meal, clean house, and attentive wife. Pausing on that last thought a moment, she dismissed her concerns and resumed her happy homemaking.

Diane came in the door tired and irritable. Expecting that she'd have to start dinner as it was her night, she was surprised by the smell of something she loved. "I'm home!" she shouted toward the kitchen, rewarded by the sight of Joan almost skipping over to the front door to greet her.

"Welcome home, honey!" Joan sang, taking the woman's purse and jacket to hang them up. "Dinner should be ready in about fifteen, so if you want a shower first, you have time... or you could just relax and I'll bring dinner to you when it's done! How was your day?"

Stunned at the cheery and almost bubbly attitude on display in front of her, Diane shook her head to try and clear it. "Um... no. I'd love a shower! I stink of hand sanitizer! I thought it was my night to cook?"

"Oh! Well, I was home, I had nothing better to do after straightening up a little, so I thought I'd save you the trouble and pamper you! Did you have a hard day, honey? You look tired!" Wrapping her arms around Diane, Joan put a quick kiss on her wife's lips without even thinking.

The stunned feeling she felt flew into overdrive as the woman her husband had become kissed her as though it was all a perfectly normal and everyday occurrence, ignoring the fact that it was the first time she'd ever been kissed by a woman in her life. Unsure how to react and not wanting to hurt Joan's feelings, she tried to address the issue delicately.

"What the actual hell, Joan?" she asked calmly. "Um... you just kissed me."

Furrowing her brow, Joan shook her head in confusion. "I don't understand. I kiss you all the time!" she finished with a loving smile.

Taking Joan's hand, Diane led her to the couch to sit next to her. "Joan, I've never actually been kissed by a... a woman... before. I thought we'd sort of work up to that... eventually."

Her eyes widening as realization dawned on her just how easily she'd slipped into the life of Joan without a thought, she felt guilty that she'd abandoned her masculine traits, followed immediately by a severe cramp that doubled her over. "Oh! I... I'm so sorry, Diane! I... I wasn't thinking about it! I... I just did what felt normal! I'm sorry!" she winced through another cramp.

Seeing the instant change in her spouse and the wracking pain she was now in trying to not be feminine, Diane felt her heart drop. "No, sweetie! It... it's my fault! You were doing exactly what we talked about, and I just messed it all up because... well... you sort of blew my mind back there! Please don't think you need to be manly for me to love you, OK?"

Relaxing as her wife back-peddled on her reaction to Joan's behavior, she closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and did what felt right. Opening them again, she smiled widely as the cramps faded. "It's OK, honey! I understand! I didn't mean to rush things! We'll go at your pace, alright?" Getting up, she helped Diane to stand as well. "Let me go finish dinner, you go relax and get clean, we'll eat, talk, and see what we want to do after I do the dishes!"

Watching Joan trot off to the kitchen, Diane bit her tongue and went off to take her shower and think.

While they ate, Joan couldn't help but watch Diane eat; a dreamy expression on her face the whole time and nearly forgetting to eat herself. Nibbling at her salad, Joan began humming the tune again, lost in the moment.

For her part, Diane was nervous. Joan's behavior was bordering on bazaar. Finishing a bite of spaghetti, she put her fork down. "Joan? Why'd you offer to do the dishes after cooking and cleaning? You know our rule! Whoever cooks, the other one cleans up!"

"I'm just trying to do what comes naturally, honey." she explained simply. "It's funny... but I think Maggie put that thing about the cramps in to act as some kind of guide. I... I think she actually just wanted men to understand women! If they would have just used the cramps the way Maggie intended, they would have ended this curse long ago!"

"What're you talking about?" Diane puzzled. "Using cramps as a guide?"

"Yeah!" Joan sang. "See, anytime I think about what I should be doing or how I should be acting, I think about them and feel for a reaction. If I start to feel a cramp coming on, I know it's the wrong thing! If I don't feel one, I know it's OK! See? And it works! I've hardly had any cramps all day!"

Seeing the logic of it, Diane shrugged and took another bite. "Still, you don't have to become some stepford wife! I can still do my share!"

"I... I don't know that you can." Joan lightly objected. "Remember, Maggie lived in the seventeenth century. Back then, women were expected to be domestic and subservient. If Maggie tied the curse to those ideals, then I'll have to comport myself to those ideals if I want to avoid the cramps."

"Surely that doesn't mean I can't be an equal partner in the housework!" Diane rejected the idea. "Look, after dinner, I'll do the dishes and you can relax! You worked all day, too!"

"Speaking of work," Joan segued, "Barb told me that Wednesday I have to wear a costume. She doesn't want the other girls in the office to think I'm trying to make them look bad if I don't wear one too."

"Well, you still have that Doctor's costume." she pointed out, deciding to not even touch Joan's use of 'other girls'. "At least it won't go to waste! By the way... how did work go?"

"It was fine!" Joan chirped happily. "Getting there on time was tricky. I didn't change back until it was almost time to leave, so I had a bit of five-o'clock shadow when I got there. I'll have to try and shave before I change tomorrow to see if I'm still fresh-shaven the next morning. Not enough time to squeeze it in! Oh! I was also going to try and just wear my slacks to work instead of John's slacks, so I can be ready quicker! What do you think?"

Pausing to consider the question, she nodded and took another bite. "Slacks are slacks." she talked around her food. "I doubt anyone would even notice the difference. If it helps you, I'll support you!"

Giddily smiling, Joan took another bite of salad and resumed her starry-eyed observation of Diane enjoying her meal. When her wife began doing the dishes however, the cramps returned with a vengeance.

"Honey?" Joan moaned. "I... I think I need to do that!" she held her belly.

Turning the water off, Diane moved over next to her and held her. "Oh, Joan! This just isn't fair! You work all day, then come home and have to do all the housework and cooking! Maybe I should talk to Barb about cutting back your hours?"

"No!" Joan whined. "We need my job, honey! If we ever want kids, we need to plan ahead and save! You make more hourly than I do, but my bonuses are our future! I can't earn them as a part-time agent! Only full-time agents get sales bonuses!"

"Alright!" she threw up her hands in surrender as she watched Joan put the apron on and begin doing the dishes; the pained look on her face dissolving into one of relief as she started cleaning. Shaking her head, she wandered off to the living room to pick a movie for them to watch together, as was their usual habit.

That night as they lay in bed together, Joan chewed her lip as Diane began snuggling in close. "Um... Diane? You... you haven't given me a goodnight kiss since this all started."

Stiffening at the suggestion that she didn't love Joan, she pulled away. "I... I know. I... it's hard for me, OK? I love you, but... um..."

"You aren't attracted to me." Joan sighed. "It's OK. I... I'll learn to live with it. I'm sorry I brought it up. Goodnight, Diane. I love you."

Feeling Joan roll over so that her back was to her, Diane felt terrible. Here I am, with Joan stuck having to follow some seventeenth-century witch's idea of showing a man what it's like to be a woman, and I can't even give her a little encouragement or hope! Resolving to fix it right away, she pulled on Joan's shoulder until she lying on her back again. Without a word, Diane slowly closed in close to Joan's sad face. Remembering just who the woman in bed with her was, she closed her eyes and pressed her lips against Joan's.

Melting into the kiss, Joan's body exploded in desire. Wrapping her arms around Diane, she pulled her close and returned the kiss with fervor. When at last it ended, Joan panted with a hunger she'd never known as a man.

"Wow!" she sighed. "Is that what I do to you when I kiss you?"

"What's that?" Diane asked playfully through a smile.

"You melted my brain!" Joan laughed.

Smiling down at her, Diane brushed the woman's bangs aside slowly and gently. "Something like that, yeah!" Caressing Joan's face, she sighed. "Feel better, now?"

"I'd have been happy with just a peck on the lips!" Joan confessed. "That went way beyond happy!"

"Good" she replied as she moved down to snuggle with Joan. "Then go to sleep! We have early mornings from now on!"

The next day was fairly uneventful. Joan got up, dressed in a clean pair of women's slacks, put on her bra and a camisole, then put one of John's shirts on over it with the buttons waiting for her breasts to vanish again. As she sat waiting, the feeling of loss was palpable as she felt the change coming. When at last it was done and she was John again, she buttoned down the shirt, straightened her tie, and headed off to work.

When she left work promptly at five that evening, she hurried home and managed to change to a nice blouse and shave before the change filled her with a warm sense of fulfillment. Making her way through the house, she picked up and cleaned happily, content to just follow her heart and make their home nice for Diane's return. Starting dinner just as the night before, she made sure to use as few dishes as possible so as to not make her wife feel bad when she cleaned them later.

After dinner, the two ladies played at trying their 'costumes' on, Joan getting her first lesson in makeup by being shown what not to do; making her look overdone and cheap on purpose. Laughing together, they cleaned up and got to bed early, Diane making sure to kiss Joan goodnight with more than a little passion.

Getting up to the alarm on Halloween morning, Joan again went through her routine, waiting for the sun to rise and drive the woman she'd become back under her skin to hide behind John. Breathing slowly, she tried not to cry as the sun began to peak over the eastern horizon.

Staring at the bright rays, she sighed and began to button John's shirt, only to find that her breasts were still there. Looking at the time, she saw it was getting close to eight-thirty, the sun was well up, and she was still Joan. In a panic, she ran to the bedroom and shook her wife desperately.

"Diane!" she screeched. "Diane, I'm in trouble! Wake up!"

Rousing and looking at Joan, Diane furrowed her brow. "What's wrong? Waiting for the sun to come up still?"

"It is up, Diane!" she cried. "It's been up for five minutes and I'm still Joan! I have to be at work in like three minutes! What am I going to do?"

Suddenly wide-awake, her wife tried to calm her down. "Alright! Don't panic! Let me think!" Processing their options, Diane grabbed her phone. "I'm calling Janice! Maybe she knows what's going on!" Looking up her number, she dialed it and waited.

Answering the phone exhaustedly, Janice Brookes didn't even look to see who it was that was calling. "Hello?"

"Janice? It's Diane! Joan didn't change back into John this morning! Why?"

"Oh." she dismissed the concern. "It's All Hallows Eve. Didn't I tell you that she'd stay a woman all day and night today?"

"No, Janice." she answered sardonically. "No, I'd have remembered that."

"Sorry." she sighed. "Frank was in such a bad mood that morning, it kinda threw me off. He's still locked up and has to stay that way until tomorrow morning. His boss knows that Frank never works Halloween anymore."

"Well, at least we know what's going on. Thank you, Janice! Honestly! I don't know what we'd do without your help! I gotta go, though! We need to figure something out!"

"It's fine, Diane. Call me later and tell me. Bye."

"Bye!" she replied before hanging up. Turning to a nearly hysterical Joan, she sighed. "It's All Hallows Eve. You'll be Joan until tomorrow morning."

"Oh, God!" Joan sank to her knees. "I'm ruined! Barb will think I'm ditching work so I don't have to wear a costume! What are we gonna do?"

"Now don't panic!" she repeated. Thinking fast, she smiled. "OK. Let me call Barb and straighten this out! I can fix this, but you have to trust me and do exactly as I tell you, OK?"

Nodding as tears began to run down her cheeks, Joan took a breath to try and calm down. "A... alright, love. I trust you. Just tell me what to do."

Joan took a breath and held it as she walked to the front door of her work. The sound of her shoes on the sidewalk as she approached nearly an hour late was unnerving, but she kept her head held high, smiled, and tried to breathe normally as she opened the door to hear the familiar chime.

Barbara Moon looked up from her desk and smiled as usual. "Welcome to Blue Moon Real Estate! I'm Barbara Moon, how can I help you?"

Looking at her boss, Joan took a breath. "Morning, Barb! Sorry I'm late! I had trouble getting ready this morning and Diane had to help!" she stated in a voice low enough to be passably masculine trying to be feminine.

As Joan spoke, the entire room fell silent. Barbara shook her head as she tried to reconcile the sight before her with the employee she'd known the last year. Looking the woman up and down slowly, she took in the sight and finally began to smile.

"John Henderson!" she nearly laughed. "My God! You look... perfect!"

"Actually, the name is Joan Henderson today, Mrs. Moon!" she lilted as she strutted to her desk. "If you need me, I'll be going through the last quarter's property tax filings! Don't want to slip and miss one!"

Going through the day as though nothing had changed, Joan relaxed into her role of the woman pretending to be a man pretending to be a woman shortly before the lunch party. Laughing along with the other nine ladies who she worked with, Joan felt a true sense of freedom and belonging for the first time in her life.

When the end of the day finally came around, staying an extra hour to make up for her lateness, she approached Barbara cautiously. "I... I hope you didn't mind this all day, Mrs. Moon. It was Diane's idea! I promise I'll be back to being John tomorrow morning!"

Shaking her head, Barbara smiled. "It's fine, Joan!" she laughed. "You were fabulous and showed real team spirit, trying to fit in with all us ladies here! I know it can be hard for a man to work in an office dominated by so much estrogen, but you don't let it get to you and showed just what you're made of today, John! I'll look forward to seeing you tomorrow! Goodnight!"

"Goodnight, Barb!" she sighed in relief before she walked back to her car, the sound of her heels clicking on the pavement making her smile. Getting home, she relaxed a bit until she needed to get ready for the party. Unlike the outfit she'd worn to work, a powder-blue woman's business jacket and skirt, the outfit for her sister's Halloween party was much more risqué.

Pulling both her and Diane's outfits out of the closet and unwrapping them from their plastic coverings, Joan took a breath before stripping down and showering, wanting to be fresh and clean for whatever the evening held in store for her. She was just toweling off when she heard the front door close.

"I'm in the bathroom, honey!" she shouted as she dried her hair and wrapped it the way Diane had taught her. Stepping into the bedroom, she watched Diane collapse on the bed from near exhaustion. "You OK, love?"

"Just tired." she sighed as she lay there. "Long day and I was short on sleep. Not your fault, but..." Turning to Joan, she smiled. "How was your day?"

"Wonderful!" Joan exhaled slowly. "Barb and the rest of the ladies were so nice! It felt really good feeling so welcomed and accepted! Like I belonged! I... I never got a lot of that growing up." she finished sadly.

Sitting up, Diane reached out a hand. "Help me up, sweetie! Let's get ready so we can go see your sister! Maybe she can answer some questions you've had for a long time!"

Pulling up in front of her sister's home, Joan swallowed hard. "I... I'm not sure I can do this, Diane! I mean... at work it was one thing! I looked nice! But now? Dressed like this? What... what if Vicky freaks?"

"You look fine!" her wife reassured her. "More than fine... you look hot!" Reaching a hand over, she squeezed Joan's hand before pulling the nervous woman closer. "Hey, you have nothing to worry about, OK? No one'll say anything bad about you! I won't let them! And if anyone does, they'll have me to answer to!" Leaning in quickly, she kissed Joan gently on the lips so as to not muss their matching lipstick. "Come on! Let's go have some fun!"

Approaching the door, hand in hand, the two ladies stopped as Joan pressed the doorbell. Waiting patiently as they listened to the revelry inside, they were thankful of the warmer fifty-degree weather that night. When at last the door opened, Joan smiled as she saw her sister dressed in a twenties flapper costume.

Vicky Eddington looked at the two women standing at her door and her smile melted. "Um... can I help you ladies? Need directions somewhere?"

Smiling, Diane stepped forward slightly. "Hardly, Vicky! Aren't we invited in anymore?"

Recognizing the voice and then the face of her sister-in-law, the nearly thirty-year-old woman's expression brightened. "Diane! Where's John? Who's your friend?"

Once more lowering her voice to be soft and sultry, Joan stepped up. "Hi, Vicky! Like my costume?"

Joan's sister was so stunned at the idea that the woman standing at her door was her little brother, she nearly fainted. Composing herself, she stepped back to let them in, still speechless.

As the two entered, Diane leaned in close to Joan and whispered in her ear. "By the way, I just thought of something. Make sure you don't scratch any men tonight, sweetie!"

Hearing the warning, Joan's expression fell and became just as speechless as her big sister.

Chapter 6 - A Year Plus One

After several moments standing in the entryway and staring at Joan, Vicky finally began to crack a smile. "Oh... my... God! John? Is that really you?"

Nodding quickly as she swallowed hard, Joan tried to keep her 'fake female voice' even. "I... uh... that is, Diane had an idea for a better costume than the same old boring ones! W... what do you think?" she asked, turning in place to show off her outfit.

Taking in the sight, Vicky couldn't help but notice the lovely curves now seeming to accentuate Joan's natural femininity in her smooth movements. The 'little black dress' she wore left little to the imagination, though it did cover enough to see how her brother could still be hidden in it all behind makeup, padding, and hair.

"You look... stunning!" Vicky said at last before moving in to embrace Joan. Hugging her quickly, she stepped over and shook her head as she hugged her sister-in-law. "You really out-did yourself this time, Diane! Well come on in, you two! Party's just getting going!"

Half an hour later, lubricated by a Tequila Sunrise with more tequila than sunrise, Joan was feeling much less nervous about being around her sister's friends dressed as she was.

"Take it easy on those, sweetie!" Diane warned her. "Remember, you have to work tomorrow!"

"I have to survive tonight first!" Joan explained. "Here they come!"

Returning to the last arrivals to her costume party, Vicky wasn't alone. "Diane? John? You remember my husband Derek?"

Dressed as a twenties gangster to match his wife's costume, Derek extended a hand to Diane first and then, hesitantly, to Joan. "Sorry I couldn't make the wedding in January! You know how it is... business and all!" Looking Joan up and down, he shook his head. "Last time I saw you John, you were getting your real estate agent's license... and were a man!"

"Stop it, Derek!" Vicky chastised him. "I told you... no making fun or else you might as well get a hotel for tonight before you go back to Portland!"

"Oh, that wasn't making fun!" he scoffed. "Right, John? Women! They just don't get guy humor!" Turning to Vicky, he shrugged. "It's just the way guys are, honey! I mean, if John couldn't take it, he wouldn't have dressed like that! I mean, it's just begging to get a ration!"

"Well, you're not doing that to my baby brother!" Vicky harrumphed. "Go get a drink and talk to Stan and Greg! I wanna talk to my sister for a while!"

Looking at Joan one more time, Derek shook his head and turned away. "Damn! Some costumes are too far!" walking towards the bar as he spoke.

Gesturing to the sofa, Vicky smiled as they sat together. "Pay no attention to him, John! I think you look great! So do most of the other ladies! They couldn't believe it when I told them who you were! Lisa even asked if you were in transition!"

"Speaking of transition, Vic." Joan segued. "I wanted to ask you something. Diane asking me to dress as a woman brought up some... memories."

"Oh! You mean your girl thing when you were little?"

"How much of that do you remember, Vic?" Joan probed. "I only remember a little from when I was five, right before Mom put her foot down about it."

"Five?" Vicky scoffed. "Honey, you were doing that way before five!"

"Really?" Diane inquired. "How long did she have a... um... girl thing?"

Thinking a moment, her sister-in-law was quiet. "Um... best I can remember since two at least. I was barely four then, but I remember I used to think you were my baby sister until I was at least five. You kept talking about being Joan until I was seven, though. That's about the time you were talking about, John."

Squirming at the use of her male name, Joan cleared her throat. "Um... do you remember what I did that was so unusual? All I remember was wanting to play... um... dolls with you. Was there more to it?"

"Oh, John!" Vicky laughed. "That was years ago! You were just a baby then! Don't let it worry you!"

"I'm not worried, per say." she admitted. "More curious. Like I said, I only vaguely remember that time."

"OK." Vicky agreed before sipping her gin and tonic. "Well, let's see. You loved to play dolls, like you said. Um... you played House with me as my baby. You seemed to find any excuse to wear one of my old dresses! We'd play cat’s cradle and jump rope, watch Care Bears and Lady Lovely Locks... on tape! Oh, that was such a fun time! I was pretty sad when you stopped being Joan and were only ever John after that, but I'm still glad to have my baby brother!"

Looking at Joan carefully, Vicky leaned in close enough that she could smell the perfume Joan was wearing. "Say... this is just a costume isn't it? I mean, Lisa isn't right is she?"

Shrugging, Joan looked away embarrassedly. "What if it was serious, Vic?"

Floored for a moment, her big sister thought how to reply. "Well I guess I should first say that I'd still love you. Still, don't you think this is all sort of sudden and out of the blue? I mean, where's this coming from, John? Is this something Diane wants or is it just what you want?"

"I think I can field that one, Vicky." Diane offered, knowing that Joan was just tipsy enough to spill the beans. "I didn't ask Joan to do this. It just sort of... happened."

"Joan?" she replied. "So this is serious! John! Are you sure about this? I mean, what about Dad? And Dave! He'll have a total coronary over this! What about kids? On top of mine and Dave's, I mean after you two divorce, I assume you..."

"I'm not divorcing Joan!" Diane interrupted. "I would never leave her!"

Looking from one to the other, Vicky shook her head to try and think. "Wait! You two want to stay married? I thought you wanted to become a woman?"

"It's not somethin' I wanna do, Vic!" Joan tried to explain without explaining. "It's more something I have to try. For a while, anyway. I'll still be John most of the time, but... I have try and be Joan sometimes. I need to, OK?"

"OK," her sister said softly. "I think I understand. This is something you need to do for yourself to see if it's what you need. I get it! It's a pretty big commitment, so I think it's a good idea to just try it a while before making up your mind! I think it's very... responsible of you!" Pausing she thought ahead. "Um... what about Thanksgiving? You plan on..."

"I'll come to Thanksgiving dinner as John." she reassured her.

"OK! Thanks, John... er... Joan! I just don't think Daddy's ready to see this! No offense, but you'll need to work it up to him... I mean... him up to it!"

Biting her lower lip again, Joan glanced at her big sister. "Um... what about Christmas dinner? I... um... I think I'll need to be Joan that night."

"Why?" Vicky whined.

"Because it's Christmas night." was all she could answer.

Folding her arms, the older sibling caved. "Fine! I guess I understand. What about New Years Eve? It's your first as a married couple!"

Joan looked at her wife. "See?"

"It must be genetic." Diane bantered.

"Did I miss something?" her sister wondered aloud.

"Just something Joan said the other day when I suggested staying in this New Years." Diane related. "Joan said the same thing you did!"

"That's... spooky!" Vicky giggled. "You never were a manly-man, Joh... Joan! Sorry! Old habits!"

"It's OK." Joan blushed. "I understand."

"Still, I don't want you thinking that I'm being... um... what's the word?"

"Rude?" Diane smirked.

"No, that's not... hey!"

"Don't tease the drunk lady." Joan tittered. "She's my big sis!"

"I like the sound of that, little sis!" Vicky laughed along. "Besides, you're just as far gone as I am... and on only one drink! Lightweight!"

"Good thing neither of you is driving home tonight!" Diane pointed out.

"So anyway..." Vicky tried to get the conversation back on track. "You're thinking New Years in this year?"

"If not, it'll be Joan's first New Years." explained Diane. "One or the other."

Vicky huffed. "No last bash with my little bro?" Seeing Joan shaking her head slowly, she sighed. "Fine, I understand. Wonder what Derek is gonna think of all this? He can be a bit of an asshole sometimes! A handy asshole, but still!"

"You don't have to tell him right away." Joan offered. "I mean, I'm still coming to Thanksgiving as John. It can wait until after that."

"Alright. One last holiday with little bro... then 'Hello, sis!' I almost can't wait to see Daddy's face when you tell 'em!" she slurred.

Finishing her drink, Joan giggled. "Me too! 'Hi Daddy! You have two girls now!' I wonder if he'll try to punch me? 'Cuz if he does, I'll just scratch his eyes out!" Raising her hand, she clawed the air like a cat and giggled more, her sister joining in. "And then he'll see what's what!"

Laughing together loudly, with Joan no longer even trying to sound like John, the two reminisced and laughed for hours before Diane took Joan home and poured her into bed.

When she awoke the next morning, Joan's head was pounding as the alarm sounded ten times louder than normal. Reaching over Diane's slumbering form, she turned it off and dragged herself to the bathroom, showering, changing, and then waiting for the sun to rise. Feeling its approach and the slight pain in her arm, Joan began to seriously cry, and was still doing so when she was once more in John's body and buttoning his shirt on.

The week passed and Friday night Joan didn't change for the first time since the whole thing had started. What she hadn't expected was how much she would miss it.

By the time Thanksgiving came and went, life had almost gotten back to normal and Joan felt more like John again as the yearning faded. Still, when the Sunday after the holiday neared sunset, Joan found herself almost giddy to face the next week. Showering and shaving just before sunset while Diane prepared dinner, she sat in the bathroom in her robe, Joan's clothes on the counter, and waited impatiently.

Feeling the first changes, Joan sighed happily, even as mild cramps spoiled the perfection of the moment. Dressing once done, she took the time to style her hair before emerging to enjoy a dinner at home with her wife.

Christmas night was a disappointment. After a disastrous 'coming out' to her father, brother, and brother-in-law, the couple spent the holiday alone. New Years they just stayed in. When Joan came in to work after the holiday, once more stuck in John's body for the next three weeks, she got a surprise.

"John!" Barbara gasped when she saw her employee in a suit and tie. "I... I thought you would be coming into work as... well... Joan!"

Stopping in her tracks, Joan looked at her with a terrified expression. "Um... w... what do you mean, Barb?"

Standing quickly and making her way around the desk, Barbara Moon put an arm gently around Joan's shoulder and lowered her voice, escorting the woman back out onto the street. "Your sister Vicky's a good friend of my daughter, Jenny! She told Jenny all about Joan, and Jenny told me! You don't need to pretend on my account, Joan! I know and it's OK! Why don't you go home, take off that silly disguise, and come back as yourself! The girls in the office will be so disappointed if you don't! They got you a cake!"

Stunned into near speechlessness, Joan stammered. "M... Mrs. Moon, I... I'm not ready to live full-time! Can't... can't I just come to work as John like normal?"

Dismissing her concerns, Barbara scoffed. "Bah! I heard what that idiot father of yours said when you came out! John Michael was always so narrow-minded, even when we were in school together! No! You go home and come back when Joan is ready for work!"

When the woman smiled, patted her on the shoulder, and left her standing on the sidewalk as she went back inside, Joan didn't know what to do. Stuck for options, she did as instructed and returned home in silence.

Walking back into her bedroom in a near fugue state, she sat on the bed heavily, waking her wife.

"Sweetie? What're you doing home? Is something wrong?"

"You could say that!" Joan mumbled. "Vic told Barb's daughter about Joan, who told Barb, who told me to come back as Joan! She... she expects me to come to work that way from now on! What'll we do, honey? I can't look like Joan like this!"

After she sat up and absorbed the new wrinkle in their lives, Diane thought a moment. "OK, if Barbara expects Joan, then you'll have to be Joan!"

"What about my hair, Diane!" she sobbed. "I'd never pass as Joan with this!" she grabbed her now two-inch-long hair, having not bothered with a haircut since deciding she liked it long.

"We'll solve it, sweetie!" she sighed, once more having to get up early.

"I have to be John during the day or else we can't break the curse!"

Looking at her curiously, Diane shook her head to try and clear out the cobwebs. "What makes you say that?"

"The words of the curse!" Joan explained. "It goes, 'by night she lives, the day's his role'! That means I need to be John during the day or else we can't break the curse! Besides, what happens when we do break it and I go back to being John all the time!"

"What makes you think you should choose John after the year's up?"

Looking at her wife curiously, she swallowed. "You mean, you might want Joan for the rest of our lives?"

"I want you!" Diane exhaled in exasperation. "If that's Joan, then that's what I want! I want you to be happy and you're happier as Joan than you ever were as John!"

Thinking about what she was saying, Joan shook her head. "But what if there's a part of you that actually does care and wants John? You could barely think about wanting me as Joan last month!"

"Let's just say I'm starting to appreciate having a wife around!" she smirked. "For the moment, let's stick to the immediate concerns... namely your job!" Calling Barbara, she tried to explain that Joan wasn't ready to come to work as herself yet, buying them until the next week to come up with something. After celebrating their first anniversary, Joan went in to work the next day with a set of hair extensions that closely mimicked the hair she had when the change came each month, as well as a new lady's suit.

Stepping in the front door nervously, Joan was certain the moment she did she was going to be looking for a new job. Diane had reassured her several times that she looked nearly the same as the curse made her appear, but still she feared the rejection the way her family other than Vicky had done.

"Good morning, Barb." Joan stated softly and shyly.

Looking up at her, Barbara smiled broadly. "Nice to see you again... Joan! Girls?"

At that, Joan heard her co-workers stand and give her a round of applause, which only made her even more embarrassed and self-conscious. Fast-walking to her desk, she tried to just get through the day, but it seemed that everyone in the office 'needed' to talk to her about something that day.

Months passed and a new routine got established. Joan would get up, get ready for work as herself, get through the day, come home, change back into John's clothes and pull her hair back into a ponytail, taking on the role she was meant to by the curse. Her monthly times being Joan became not much more than a hiccup in much the same way it is for most women.

By the time October rolled around again, the two had all but forgotten about the curse. It wasn't until Joan's 'time of the month' was due to end that month when something happened to disturb their equanimity.

Getting out of bed on the Tuesday after her week, Joan went through her routine in preparation for the moment of sunrise when she would change back into John's body. Once again the sun's rays peaked through the window and she was stunned when she did not change.

"Diane!" she whispered, shaking the woman's shoulder gently but firmly. "Wake up! I... I'm still Joan, honey! It's over a week before Halloween and it's happening again!"

Rousing quickly, her wife looked at her a moment. "OK, so... just go to work, sweetie. Nothing we can do about it, right?"

Seeing her point, Joan nodded and finished getting ready, heading in, and going through her day as usual. No one even noticed the difference.

After three more mornings of remaining Joan, she came home that Friday, going through her routine of cooking and cleaning while it worried her. At last Diane came home and Joan almost raced up to her.

"Welcome home, love!" she said with a quick kiss and helping her off with her coat as the temperature outside plummeted. Once settled and enjoying the dinner she'd prepared, she cleared her throat. "Honey? We need to talk about this!"

Looking up from her food, it took a moment for Diane to understand what she was talking about. "Oh, you mean you not changing back to John?"

"Yes!" she whined. "I mean, everything I've read about the curse, and curses in general, says that my year and a day aren't up until sundown the day after tomorrow, and that's when I'll have to try and guess what you really want... John or Joan. I don't even know how that's supposed to work! Now this!"

Irritated by the discussion, Diane shook her head dismissively. "Can't we talk about this later, Joan? I had a rough day! I also got that stomach bug going around and couldn't keep my lunch down! I ended up having to work in records all day so I didn't spread it around!"

"Oh, honey!" Joan consoled her, getting up and checking her forehead with her hand. "You do feel a little warm! Why don't you go lie down on the couch? I'll get you your favorite blanket, bring you some soup, and..."

"Joan!" she shouted frustratedly. "Just... stop, OK? I'm fine! I just want to have dinner, relax to a good movie for a bit, and go to bed, OK?"

Nodding shyly, Joan went back to her own food. Once done eating, she washed the dishes before joining Diane on the couch for a movie and cuddle.

That Sunday, the same day she was due to decide, Joan woke to the sound of vomiting coming from the bathroom. Checking on Diane, she found her sitting on the toilet seat with a digital thermometer against her temple.

Hearing the beep from the device, Diane checked it and gulped. "I... I don't have a temperature, Joan."

"Well then why are you..." She interrupted herself when it dawned on her what else could be causing the vomiting. "Honey? Are you..."

"I think I might be." she nodded. "Um... remember last month? The weekend before you became Joan? That was six weeks ago." Getting up, she went to the medicine cabinet and got out the home pregnancy test she'd bought when the two had first gotten married. "Well, it's not past the expiration yet, so..."

Waiting the five minutes for the results was nerve wracking. When at last the timer went off and Diane picked up the stick, she stared at it in silence.

"Well?" Joan begged. "What is it? What does it say?"

Diane cracked a smile. "It says you're gonna be a Mommy!"

Taken aback, she shook her head. "I'm gonna be a Mommy?"

With a short laugh, she walked up and kissed Joan. "Yes! You can't exactly be a Daddy, so you're gonna be a Mommy!"

Stunned a moment, she slowly smiled along with her wife. "I'm... I'm going to be a mother!" Squealing in delight, Joan hugged her tightly.

That night when the sun began to set, she finally knew what she should choose. As the last rays of sunlight vanished, she saw a flash of light and fell into blackness.

Looking around, Joan felt lost and confused. She was standing in the middle of a woodland clearing; a rustic cabin a short distance away with smoke curling out of the stone chimney. Drawn to it, she knocked on the door.

"Come in!" snarled a woman from the other side.

Opening the latch, Joan took a moment to let her eyes adjust to the dark interior before entering. The scent of herbs struck her powerfully as she stepped inside, the door slamming shut behind her and making her spin in place, finally seeing the woman staring at her.

"So! You've had a year and a day and you made an honest effort to embrace womanhood! Now comes the time to..." Pausing in her prepared speech, Maggie looked Joan over quickly. "What the hell is this? You're a woman!"

"I... I know I am." Joan stammered. "You cursed me to be one."

"No, you were a woman before you were cursed!" she snapped back. "How in blazes did you get infected? It can only afflict childless married men!"

Thinking a moment, Joan tried to puzzle it out. "I think you may be confused, ma'am. My... my name is John... or at least that's what my parents named me... John Henderson."

"They may have named you John, but I sense your name is Joan! Just what goes on here? Mike! Mike you blasted devil! Get y'er lazy butt out here!"

Fading into view before her eyes, a handsome young man of about twenty appeared. Wearing faded blue jeans and a polo shirt, he looked anachronistic in the ancient cottage.

"What is it now, Maggie!" the man sighed, not appearing to even notice Joan's presence. "I already told you that you can't have a TV, computer, internet access, or a smartphone! You have that cauldron and that's all you get! No freebies!"

"I didn't call you here for that!" she groused. "I called you about her!" she pointed a crooked finger at Joan.

Finally turning to look at the third member of the party, the man looked Joan over and smiled. "What about her?"

"That curse of mine's gone sour!" Maggie moaned. "It cursed a woman!"

"No it didn't." he denied with a smile.

"Yes it did!" she insisted. "Think I don't know my own curse? She's got it!"

"Yep. She sure does." he freely admitted.

Staring at him blankly a moment, Maggie stepped up to him with her hands on her hips. "Don't you be smart with me, Mike! You just said my curse didn't nab a woman, then admit she's got it! Well how did she get it then?"

"She's trans." he shrugged. "What's the big whoop?"

"What in the world is trans supposed to be?" she argued shrilly. "Some newfangled kind of witch?"

Shaking his head and laughing, Mike looked at the floor. "If you spent more time gazing into that cauldron watching the world change instead of watching reruns of Bewitched and Charmed all day, you might know what's going on out there!"

"Don't give me no lip, Mike!" she snapped. "That don't explain nothin'!"

"Yes it does."

"No it don't!"

"Excuse me." Joan interrupted their argument. "Um... may I..."

"Hush up!" Maggie barked. "You stay out of this!"

"That's no way to talk to a lady." Mike stated calmly.

"I'll talk how I like!" the witch insisted. "This is my purgatory!"

"Still no reason to be rude to the poor girl!"

Sighing, Maggie saw she was getting nowhere. "Alright. You explain to me how a woman is here trying to break my curse, then! How can she even be here if she didn't get it?"

Looking at Joan, Mike smiled kindly at her. "Come here, Joan. No need to be afraid."

Stepping closer, Joan swallowed hard. "H... how do you know my name?"

With a quick laugh, Mike held out a hand. "It's my job to know!" seeing her tentatively take it, he gently led her to stand next to him. "OK, Maggie. What do you see when you look at her?"

"A woman!" the witch growled. "That's the problem!"

"Would it surprise you to know she was born in a male body?"

Furrowing her brow, Maggie shook her head. "So she was under a different witch's curse before mine got her?"

"Nope." Mike stated smugly. "Guess again!"

"Well she didn't chose to be a woman on a whim! She's got no magic!"

"You're right!" he agreed. "She was made that way from the beginning!"

Puzzling that for a moment, she shook her head dismissively. "That don't make no sense! Why?"

"There's lots of reasons women and men on Earth are born to the wrong bodies." he shrugged. "In her case it was to break your curse... among other reasons."

"You mean ta tell me that your Almighty shoved a girl in a boys body, just ta' thwart the curse I've had runnin' for three hundred thirty-three years?"

"Not the only reason." he admitted. "It was also so she could have a baby with her wife!"

"Impossible!" she cried. "My curse won't affect a man whose wife has a baby or who ain't married yet! That's what made it the perfect curse! The only way out was ta' have their wife love 'em after they spent a year actin' like one half the time and likin' it! That's what the rage was for! Teach 'em to be nice and subservient! No woman without his baby would love a man like that!"

"See... that's where you're wrong, Maggie." Mike smiled. "Times changed. Women can and are allowed to love other women on Earth now. They finally stopped listening to the letter of His words and started listening to the intent of them! Joan's wife Diane loves her... and they conceived their child after your curse took her."

"OK, but she still has to guess her wife's secret desire, to have the man or the woman!" Maggie pointed out. "She guesses wrong and the curse stays!"

Turning to Joan, Mike raised his brows curiously. "She is right, Joan. You have to choose!"

Remembering the wonderful gift they'd been given earlier that day, Joan was torn. I... I want to stay a woman... and I think Diane will love me as one no matter what... but it also means we can't have any more kids... so she might want John just for that reason alone. Considering everything, Joan looked Maggie in her black eyes.

"I choose to remain Joan."

"Spirits of the wild!" the witch cackled happily. "You guessed wrong!"

Joan felt the terror of the moment flood her as thunder roared through the simple wooden building. Falling to her knees, she began to weep.

"Forgive me, Diane! I thought I knew you well enough! It... it's my fault!"

As the wind roared around the building and the storm outside grew, Mike shook his head and smiled.

"No she didn't." he stated smugly.

The storm dying, silence filled the room.

"She didn't what?" the witch asked confusedly.

"She didn't guess wrong."

"Yes she did!" Maggie retorted.

"No she didn't." Mike said calmly.

"She did so!" the hag insisted. "Why would her wife want a woman?"

"Because I am a woman and Diane loves me and wants me to be happy!" Joan answered after standing back up and drying her eyes. Beginning to glow, Joan felt her feet leave the floor as the light suffused her to the marrow, warming her with the light of love and acceptance.

Michael flew up to her and took her hand as his wings sparkled back into view, guiding her through the wall of the building as it crumbled. "Don't look back, Joan." he warned her.

Hearing Maggie's screams of frustration and anguish as her curse collapsed on itself and ended her eternal rule over a small slice of the afterlife, Joan was tempted by curiosity and empathy to look back, but heeded Mike's advice and kept her eyes looking forward.

Racing into the sky, the world exploded in light and she was once more in her living room, only a moment after sunset.

"Diane!" she shouted as she leapt to her feet.

Startling her away from looking at her phone as she booked a visit to her OB/GYN, Diane clutched her chest. "Joan! Don't scare me like that!"

Running over to her wife, Joan sank to one knee. "It happened, Diane!" she cried tears of joy. "I... was told to choose... and I chose to remain Joan... and I was right! It is what you wanted! You do love me! Before I only believed it! Now I know it!" Taking Diane in her arms, Joan kissed her passionately.

Reveling in the moment, her loving wife smiled into the kiss. Breaking off their passionate embrace, she held Joan at arm's length. "Wait a minute! Does that mean you broke the curse? You're Joan forever now?"

Joan nodded happily. "It's done! I'm Joan now and forever!" Placing her hand on Diane's belly, she grinned. "And I'm gonna be a great Mommy!"

Epilogue

Looking out the window, Joan smiled slightly as the sun slipped below the horizon, the waxing crescent moon barely visible and poised to set in a few hours. It had been barely a year since that final time she'd transformed, the cause of her happiness. Turning away, she continued to set the table.

"Sweetie?" Diane yelled from their bedroom. "Can you give me a hand?"

"Be right there!" the woman shouted back. Checking the table quickly, she turned to help. "What is it?" she asked, entering the room.

"Can you zip me up?" begged Diane.

"You used to be able to reach!" Joan quipped as she pulled the zipper up her wife's back, slipping her hands down to rest on Diane's hips lovingly.

With a sly smile, the blonde turned around to face her, resting her arms on Joan's shoulders. "I lost some flexibility during bed rest." she excused. "Two months of not much activity made me lose my limber!"

Kissing her gently, Joan shook her head. "We'll have to fix that!" Just when Diane was about to ruin both of their painted lips, the shrill cry of a baby broke the mood. "Your turn!" Joan sighed, slipping back and away.

Groaning, Diane's arms fell to her sides. "Oh! Can't you take a second turn, sweetie?" she whined. "I still need to fix my hair before they get here!"

Half smiling, the dark-haired woman shook her head. "OK, but you know the deal! You take the next two and you owe me a favor!"

"Done!" the exhausted woman agreed in haste, running for the bathroom.

"I'll just put it with all the others you owe me for all those foot rubs I gave you last June!" Joan laughed as she headed towards the baby's room.

Picking up the wailing four-month-old, Joan pouted. "Aw! What's the matter, little Mikey? You can't be hungry! Mamma just fed you! You're not wet, so you must have a little bubble in your tummy!" she cooed. Grabbing a baby blanket, she flung it over her shoulder easily out of long habit, rested her son against her, and began patting his back. "There! Mamma will fix it!"

Joan carried the infant into the living room as she gently bounced him and kept patting his back when the bell rang. Sighing, she headed to the door. "I got it, honey!" Stopping her baby care a moment, she peaked outside and smiled. "Come on in!" she said just loud enough to be heard outside.

Opening the door, Janice stepped in from the cool outside and smiled at the mother and baby. "Hi, Joan!" she almost whispered as she crept up to the two, grinning at the infant. Stopping short, she was pulled back slightly.

"Will ya' let me help ya' with yer coat off first, Jan?" Frank almost laughed. Taking the woman's light coat, he removed his own and hung both up by the door. "Jeez, woman! The baby's not goin' anywhere!"

Cooing over the baby boy a moment, Janice finally settled down. "I'm sorry, Joan!" she apologized. "He's just so adorable!"

With a light rumble from her son, Joan shook her head as Michael released his gas bubble with only a little spit-up on the blanket. "You can have one of your own, you know!" she quipped as she lay her son in the crib that took up one corner of the living room after cleaning his mouth.

Looking over her shoulder at Frank, Janice lowered her voice. "I... I think he might be ready to think about that. Maybe next week we can start trying."

"I hope so." Joan sighed as she gave a quick hug hello to her best friend. "You two deserve to move on with life!"

"Thanks ta' you!" Frank grinned as he waited his turn to hug his savior. "I'll never fer'git last Halloween when I didn't change! Jan had Diane on the line quicker'n anythin'! Speakin' a' who, where's she at?" he looked around.

"Right here!" she chirped, coming out. "Good to see you two!" Giving each a hug hello, she gestured to the table. "Come on! Dinner's getting cold!"

The four quickly sat and served, saying a quick prayer of thanks that meant more to them than to most families. Enjoying a moment of peace while baby Michael slept, Joan nodded to her guest. "Oh, Frank? The cabinet door works much better now! You don't need to keep doing those things, you know!"

"I want ta'!" the man spoke around a mouthful of food. "Least I can do!"

"The crib and changing table were more than enough!" she sighed. "You're gonna start making me feel bad for accepting your help! I'm just all thumbs when it comes to being handy, though."

"Bah!" the man dismissed her concerns. "I have to do something with my new basement workshop! Besides, it makes me feel useful! "

"You can be useful in about ten days, Frank!" Janice insinuated slyly. "We start trying again then!" Grimacing slightly, the woman moved in her seat to try and get more comfortable.

Frank didn't need to ask what was wrong when he saw it. He knew. Reaching out a hand, he held it open to her and smiled at her in sympathy when she took it. "I get ya', Jan! It'll pass... and at least you can get somthin' out of it!"

Laughing together, the four continued eating and talking; making the most of their unusual friendship and the pains once shared by all.

--

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Thank you and may God bless,
Roberta Elder