“She’s probably dead anyway,” said Hote, his voice flatter and distracted.

“Wow, that is a sight!” Carlo exclaimed.

“Worth a couple of hours of climbing, eh?” I took the last couple of steps on the trail and stood next to him.

“With the bodysuit, yes. Previous Sunday, I stopped several times to rest while climbing it and still couldn’t reach here. Then I almost hated it, but now love it!”

“Actually, now it was a bit of strain on me to keep up with you.” I smiled.

The elevator quietly chimed and started up. Filippo politely watched the floor indicator. Gab just stood, thinking about something. I silently cursed myself for overstuffing with the omelet, then wondered if Gab will try and look at Vinnie who was standing right next to him. Sure, the long skirt of her uniform covered her legs completely, but a man would always try to steal a glance after such a talk. To be honest, I did several times while nobody watched me.

“Um, G-g-gab? M-m-m-may I a-a-ask for s-s-something?”

“Huh… Yeah, sure.”

“I… I p-p-plan b-b-bying a g-g-game c-computer. C-c-could you a-a-advise me w-w-what to b-buy?”

Manikin? Man, I can!

“L-l-lexie… M-m-m-may I ask you s-s-something? J-j-just b-b-between u-us?”

“Of course.” When the other women had gone out of the room for lunch, I had remained behind, wanting to put the last touches on a script and have it run during the lunch break. Vinnie had too.

“I-i-i-i-it is a-a-a-about t-t-to… Oh… A-a-a-about h-h-how t-t-to b-be m-m-more s-s-succces-s-sful w-with m-m-m-m-men…” Vinnie was redder than a tomato.

“What?! How is that possible?… He has a bodysuit too?”

“Maybe he has, but it likely is not that. You see… I have seen Puglisi many times. There are at least three different ones. Not counting the one we met. All are razor sharp but have different appearances, different mannerisms, speak differently, think differently…”

“Huh?!… Do you mean that several people share his identity? All claim to be him? And in this way can do several things at once, be present at different places at the same time, show up in front of someone who knows one of them and pretend to be someone else…?”

“Are you regretting changing schools and majors?” she asked.

“No. I still think this is the right thing to do. I’ve been volunteering at the hospital when I have time to spare from studying, and the more I do that, the more sure I am that I want to be a nurse.”

“I guess the bodysuit produces it like making hair and beard from our hair and skin cells. Or like your wetness during sex. But I don’t think one can get pregnant from it.”

“I very much hope I cannot,” I noted. We both laughed. “Though your stamina is amazing.”

“Bodysuit’s stamina. I am wiry for a girl, I hope, but no way to do that for so long without its help… What amazed me is that you got four orgasms. I have listened to a lot of sex – not by my choice – and I am yet to see a man get more than three in a row. Especially so strong ones, and only two days after having plenty of sex.”

“I guess their strength is due to the bodysuit. The first time I masturbated in it, the orgasm was just a bit stronger than otherwise, but since then it is stronger every time. I was afraid that the bodysuit somehow turns me into a real girl, but it looks like it tunes how it transmits the feelings, learning with the time how to achieve the most… And I also guess that this night it was your skill at sex too.”

“I can’t help but know what makes a girl feel good,” Carlo smiled. “And, before you ask, I felt great too. Way different than when I have sex as a girl, but as a whole even better…”

I woke up Thursday morning with a queasy feeling in my gut. I figured it was nerves: today was my first day back to school. I hoped taking a shower would help me get settled. I did my business in the bathroom and felt a little more awake. That seemed to help.

“For a girl that often goes to work in good-looking skirt and heels, jeans and a simple blouse like this one would be a hint that you are a bit down. Do you want to convey that?”

“Oooohhhhh… women and their hints!”

I read somewhere that the ancient Goths used to debate any important question twice, once drunk, and once sober. I had gotten into the habit of doing something like that with jekyllase; I would think something over once as myself and once as Jennifer before coming to a decision.

When I finished changing from work uniform to everyday clothes, Carlo was already waiting outside in the lobby, with a bag in one hand:

“Lexie, are you still thinking about going back together?”

We returned from the mall around two o'clock. As we walked past the garage I was surprised to see the bird statue still sitting just outside the back of the breezeway. As I hurried up to my room to drop off my shopping bags, Mom called out to me. "Don't even think about wearing that cream colored dress in that filthy garage. And don't get any makeup on it when you take it off."

As I was leaving, Hanna ran and fetched the book.
She pressed it into my hands, insisting that I take it.

"Be our Perry Mason!" she chirped, smiling and nearly dancing with excitement.

“Thank you very much, Carlo. The dinner was exquisite… But I am thinking about its cost. Would you agree to split it?”

Our swift and unexpected takeover of Varik's clan sent shockwaves across the planet. The sudden and decisive nature of our victory left the other clans in a state of bewilderment and fascination. How could an obscure pirate clan, seemingly out of nowhere, so thoroughly dismantle the most formidable clan on the planet?

“This purse is just great, Lexie!”

“Umm, I like it too. Convenient, you can carry it on your shoulder. And, umm, I like these styles…”

“I was wondering when you will dare to show some femininity,” Lu smiled. “What you will say, Mommy?”

"Alright," she said, leaning in toward me, a half-smile playing over her lips.
"I want to start by saying Once upon a time, but as improbable as it is, this isn't a fairy tale."

"So how does it start?" I asked. My patience was near its end.

Mom leaned in a little closer, and trying to not smile, told me:

"Charlotte had a boyfriend."