Introduction: This story is the fourth and final story in a series within a series. The overall series is the “Cynthia Chronicles”. This story is directly connected to “Simoné and the Second Time Around”, “Marti and the Doppelganger”, and Marti and the Doppelganger – a Follow Up”. Several of the stories in the Cynthia Chronicles left some unanswered questions. In “Bobbie and the Glass Ceiling” two of the antagonists are regressed to childhood. Now we will learn what happened to them. In “Randi and the College Professor” Randi and Frank Deere adopt Betty, a bit of a rogue witch. Betty was regressed to early childhood, but she kept her powers. As it turns out, Betty was a real blessing. We also learn a bit more about Cindy’s first born who is the first new wizard in probably close to a thousand years. Then there is a question that has been floated about. What about death?
We will briefly go back to the day Bobbie Anderson won the Master’s. This episode was extracted from “Bobbie and the Glass Ceiling.” The main story will pick up from that point.
The last few years have been difficult, fulfilling, and extremely busy for Cindy and Bobbie. They couldn’t be happier. What makes it more interesting is there are always complications. As was said before and will be said again, The Wizard did little to make womanhood and motherhood any easier than it might have been for any other woman. We need to go back to about a year after Bobbie Anderson performed the earth shaking feat of winning the Masters Golf Tournament in Augusta, Georgia. Not only did she win one of the holiest of holies in golf, she proceeded to win the (British) Open the following year. It hadn’t been even close. She had led the tournament from the first through the 72nd hole; leading by five strokes at the finish. Bobbie Anderson retired from professional golf immediately afterwards. She had made her point.
There was quite a celebration after her victory. As was reported on BBC, there were large quantities of stilton cheese and port consumed at the private victory party afterwards. Some thought it strange that a golfer of her skills and achievements would retire at the height of her career; however, Bobbie Anderson had other goals in mind. She and her best friend Cindy Brewer were going to be counselors and physicians whose main goal was to protect and help the transgender reach their goals.
It was a long process for both Bobbie and Cindy. Cindy was in Medical School and Bobbie was starting to work on her Doctorate in Psychology. There was also this other problem. Perhaps we need to go back to that night after Bobbie had triumphed in Augusta.
You might remember that Bobbie’s ultimate victory was almost thwarted by James Campion, the defending champion, and his sister who just happened to be a witch. They had magically influenced the game through the first nine holes on the final day. They were found out, and the magical efforts to influence the game were neutralized over the last nine holes. After the Champion’s Dinner, much of the group of celebrants remained. Let’s pick up that evening just as things began to get interesting. The only people left are the magic and their friends and relatives. Justice is about to be served.
The dinner in the Trophy Room that night was fabulous. The liquor flowed, but Bobbie avoided it. She could have imbibed and eliminated the alcohol with a simple spell, but she didn’t want anyone thinking she would jeopardize her baby. About halfway through dinner, she excused herself to go to the ladies’ room. As she turned the corner towards the restroom, she almost ran into a man dressed in white; in fact he was a caddy, in fact he was Jim Campion’s caddy.
“What the hell are you doing here? You’re not allowed in this building, and by the way, I don’t appreciate what you did out there. I don’t know who you are, but magic has no place on the golf course.”
“Shush, it’s me. Oh bother, I forgot you’re not as good as Cindy in seeing through my disguises.” The face suddenly shifted.
“Your Wisdom! What …?”
“Stick around after dinner. There will be a meeting in the Trophy Room. It’s very important, and it’s all been arranged. You and Andy stay there. It will all become very apparent in a little while what’s going on. I think you will enjoy it.”
“Things are happening,” Bobbie whispered into Andy’s ear when she sat down. “There’s going to be a big meeting here after dinner.”
Most of the members of the club disappeared after dessert. The staff cleared the tables and took the remaining serving items away. There are no cooking facilities in the clubhouse. Everything was prepared in another building, as was cleaning the dishes and utensils.
Two of the club members and their wives remained. Bobbie hadn’t been able to mingle too much before dinner. They had to go back to the hotel and get dressed for dinner, and were rather rushed when they returned. It wasn’t something that Bobbie had really expected, but Cindy had somehow found a beautiful cocktail dress for her that was a bit more formal than the one she had worn to the dinner earlier in the week.
The two members and their wives approached as soon as the help had left. Bobbie almost collapsed in shock as the two wives removed their shields. They were witches!
“Dear Bobbie, you had no idea, did you? We are so proud of you and what you have done. So many young witches use magic as a crutch, but you never succumbed once. You are a credit to the world of magic, not like some others we’ve come across lately.
“The room is protected now, so we can talk. His wisdom and the others will be here in a while. I understand that your family, Cindy’s family and Charli’s family will be joining us in a minute, too. We also have some special guests. Don’t be too shocked when you see them.”
The Lewis’s, Schmedlaps, and Brewers came in a few minutes later. For the men it was like entering Valhalla. There were not too many times that non-members could enter these hallowed grounds. The neat thing for them was that they would now be able to play there as Bobbie’s guests.
Pricilla and Dorothy, the two witches, did a little magical furniture arranging. There was a table with two chairs at one end of the room. A few feet to either side of that were two tables with single chairs. The rest of the tables and chairs were arranged to face the table with two chairs.
Pricilla took the floor. “I am Pricilla Davis, and I am President of the Greater Georgia Coven. His Wisdom and I will be presiding over the proceedings tonight. I think you are all aware that when it comes to serious matters involving both the non-magic and magic worlds, that the magic world will take precedence. We have had a serious breach of magic law this week, and we now know it reaches back for many years. We will hear the case tonight and pass judgement. As much as possible, the decisions we come to tonight will not be allowed to affect the non-magic world. I think it’s time we got started.
“Please bring in the defendants.”
The door opened and Jim Campion, still dressed in his golf clothes entered, followed by his caddy. Of course, it was actually The Wizard. Campion was obviously under some sort of magic control. His eyes darted around, but he seemed powerless to do anything.
The figure of the caddy suddenly shifted, and The Wizard they all knew and loved appeared.
“Sit right there at that table, Mr. Campion,” The Wizard said, while indicating the table with two chairs.
While Campion was sitting, the door opened again, and a blonde male entered. Following him was Archie Chambers, the greenside interviewer whom Bobbie and Andy had come to respect very much. There were several gasps from the group and an “Oh, my God!” from Bobbie.
“Sorry about being late, Your Wisdom. I had to come in a laundry truck. Wow, I haven’t been here in years.”
“Glad you could make it, Jack. You, too, Archie.
“Randi, do you have Mr. Baldwin?”
“Yes, Your Wisdom.”
“Please bring him up here.”
Randi came forward and placed a small green block on the floor. She stepped back and motioned at the block. The block suddenly started to expand, becoming a portable toilet. They could hear a commotion from within that included the sound of toilet paper being pulled off a roll. Finally, whatever was being accomplished inside was finished. The bolt slid back and the door opened. Jimmy Baldwin stepped out and looked around. There was a look of sheer terror spreading across his face.
“Don’t try anything Jimmy, or should I say, Margot. Just get rid of the disguise and sit next to your brother.” The Wizard indicated the chair next to Jim Campion. A tall, slender woman wearing slacks and blouse slowly moved to the empty chair.
Randi collapsed the port-a-john, and it disappeared.
“As you know, there is no reason to lie, because about ten people in here will know whether you are telling the truth or not.
“Mr. Campion,” The Wizard asked, “how many tournaments did you win on the PGA tour prior to your sister becoming your caddy?”
“Er, none.”
“And, of the twenty-five you’ve won since, how many did you win without your sister’s help?”
“Er, none.”
“So you stole twenty-five tournaments from deserving winners. Tournaments they will never have the pleasure of knowing they should have won.”
“Yes.”
“Were there any tournaments you played in since your sister became your caddy, that you didn’t use magic to increase your position in the final standings?”
“A few, I’m not really sure.”
“Miss Campion, on the front nine today, how many of your brother’s putts did you affect?”
“I believe it was three. I made two go into the hole, and I prevented one from going off the green.”
“And, how many of Bobbie Anderson’s putts did you prevent from going into the hole.”
“It was three.”
“Did you push her and make her miss the drive on hole number seven?”
“Yes sir.”
“Did you move the ball that was sitting on the pine straw on the same hole?”
“Yes sir.”
“By my count, you cost Bobbie Anderson at least five strokes on the front nine. You took from her the chance of one of the best finishing rounds in Masters history. Are you proud of what happened?”
“Yes sir, Bobbie Anderson is a witch. She used her powers to win all those tournaments. What’s wrong with me helping my brother? That woman has no right winning those tournaments.”
“So, you’re the one who sent the threatening letters?” The Wizard asked.
“Yes.”
The Wizard turned to Bobbie. “Mrs. Anderson, have you ever cheated at golf, or any other sport for that matter. The truth telling applies to you and anyone else in this room.”
“No, Your Wisdom, what would be the point? I wouldn’t be able to look at myself in the mirror. Golf is a game of honor. There’s no place for cheats.”
“She had to have cheated. No one is that good.”
“I beg to differ with you. The man sitting in the back of this room won over 80 tournaments on the regular PGA tour. He never cheated. He loved the game too much.”
Jim Campion looked at the figure sitting at the rear. “What sort of bull shit is this? He died years ago.”
“I’m sorry to disappoint you, but I’m alive and well, as is my wife, who happens to be a witch. You just wouldn’t recognize us out in the world today. My wife and I do different things now. Outside of our family and the world of magic, the world thinks we are dead, but we will be around for a long, long time. There are folks who need help, and we are doing that.
“As far as Bobbie Anderson is concerned, she wins because she works hard and is a dammed good golfer. I would have loved to play with or against her.” He turned to Bobbie. “Maybe we can play a round or two someday. I think I would enjoy it.”
The Wizard looked at Jim and Margot Campion. “So, what are we going to do with you? What you have done, unfortunately, can’t be changed. History will record that you had those victories.
“This is harsh, but this is the way it will be. If there is anyone who wishes to come to your defense, they may at any time, but I think we are in accord with this.
“First of all, we have abuse of magic. Had what was being done been discovered, it could have caused irreparable harm throughout the magic world. Your and your brother’s selfish use of magic could have destroyed what the magic world has been trying to correct for a thousand years.
“There are several other witches playing in professional sports who have never succumbed to cheating. What you did could have destroyed professional sports if the word got out about witchcraft. No one would have been above suspicion.
“Margot Campion, your magic powers are removed as of now.”
“Noooo!”
“Since you seem to want to disguise yourself as a man, we will oblige you and make that permanent.
“James Campion, you will never compete in sports at the professional level again. Since you seem to despise Bobbie Anderson’s efforts to compete as a woman, it is only fair that you learn what it’s like to be a woman in a man’s world. Maybe someday you will consider it a blessing. I would, and I know the women in this room do.
“As far as the non-magic world is concerned, you and your sister will die next week on a charity mission to Indonesia. Of course, no one will really die, but as far as the world is concerned, you will no longer exist.
“Is everyone in accord so far?”
The famous golfer in the rear of the room responded. “I am really disturbed that his record will remain intact. Isn’t there anything we can do about it?”
“We could, but it would be extremely disruptive. We would have to go back more than five years and revise too much history. The effects of their cheating have just gone too deep and too far. I think we can make sure that he never gets into the Golf Hall of Fame, though.
“Margot Campion, you and your brother will get another chance; however, your skills will be in different areas than they are now. Your magic gene has been replaced with a generic gene that has no known purpose, one that most non-magical people have. One of your ‘X’ chromosomes is now being converted to a ‘Y’ chromosome.”
Margot’s shape began to morph into that of a young man. She was powerless to say anything, but the horror to her of what was happening was easy to read. He started to shrink, and within a few minutes had become an infant child only a few months old. He was wrapped in a blanket, and started to cry. Cindy picked him up and gently rocked him. The infant gradually quieted.
Jim Campion’s change was a bit more dramatic. He was changed quickly into a rather voluptuous young woman. There was no question in anyone’s mind that he knew exactly what was happening. His hands rose to his large breasts and measured their heft and softness. His hair became a wavy dark brown. He would be considered a horny young man’s wet dream by many. He had become a very attractive young woman. From that point her physical age quickly regressed. It went slowly enough that there was no question she knew what was happening. Soon she was an infant the same age as the other baby. She started to cry. Charli comforted her as Cindy comforted the other infant.
“We have several options on what to do at this point;” The Wizard explained, “however, I think for their benefit it would be best if we kept track of their upbringing.
“Bob and Hilda, do you feel up to raising two more children? After all, you will be grandparents in just a few months.
“There is always room in our home and hearts for more children. We would be glad to take them.”
“That is so good of you,” The Wizard said. “We will have all the paperwork for the adoption completed shortly.
“Does anyone have any questions before we relax and enjoy the rest of the evening?”
“I have all sorts of questions, and I’m beginning to wonder what has been going on over the years,” Bobbie said with a tone that indicated she was a bit disturbed.
“Have I been watched all this time by the magic world? I mean, what is Archie doing here? He’s not magic, but he obviously knows about me and the rest of us.”
“Bobbie, I apologize for not telling you I knew. Remember when you met my wife a few years ago? You had just won your twentieth major on the LPGA. She realized you were magic right away. She also told me that she knew you never used magic on the golf course. As far as I was concerned, my admiration of what you were doing went up many-fold. I would have told you someday, but we realized that if you knew non-magic people knew of your magic abilities, you might feel you were being spied on and under suspicion. That wouldn’t be fair to you.”
“Archie, you have been a friend to Andy and me for years. You have always been someone we could respect not only as an interviewer, but as a golfer.
“So, your wife is magic. It’s a shame that the Campions never understood what your wife did, or rather, didn’t do. With the raw talent Campion had, he might have been a good golfer on his own with the right instruction.
“Seeing what happened here with the port-a-john, I guess you pulled off the switch between nine and ten when I was inside one.
“Randi, that was a good trick. So, as far as Margot was concerned, she thought she was still between nine and ten when she stepped out of the toilet. The look on her face when she realized what had happened was priceless.
“Now I understand what the arguments were about, Your Wisdom. You weren’t affecting his putts like Margot had done on the front nine.”
“Actually, I pushed his last putt into the hole on eighteen. There was no reason to make his demise any worse than it already was.
“I reviewed the probability charts, and there is no question you would have won had they not messed with your game. It would have been very close, though. When you knew what he was doing, you didn’t let it get you down. You probably played better on the back nine because of it.”
“So, everyone but me knew that the switch had been made.”
“That’s right,” Cindy said as she gently rocked the little bundle in her arms. “It was so nice not having to worry about Margot and just watch you play golf. You were so determined to beat that bastard fairly.”
“It was tough for me,” Andy added. “I had to keep you calmed down and focused, but I couldn’t let you know that we had taken his magic away.”
The party went on for a while longer. Bobbie had chills as she, and probably the greatest golfer ever talked about her victory and their past tournaments. His wife showed up a bit later, as did Archie Chambers’ wife. All in all, it was a great day.
Now we will pick up things from shortly after Bobbie Anderson retires from golf and starts on her Doctorate of Psychology. She and Cindy are new parents and enjoying it very much. However, there is a problem. Don’s parents can no longer take care of the two infants. Hilda’s age is catching up to her. Don and Cindy adopt Martin and Joann.
Introduction: This story is the fourth and final story in a series within a series. The overall series is the “Cynthia Chronicles”. This story is directly connected to “Simoné and the Second Time Around”, “Marti and the Doppelganger”, and Marti and the Doppelganger – a Follow Up”. Several of the stories in the Cynthia Chronicles left some unanswered questions. In “Bobbie and the Glass Ceiling” two of the antagonists are regressed to childhood. Now we will learn what happened to them. In “Randi and the College Professor” Randi and Frank Deere adopt Betty, a bit of a rogue witch. Betty was regressed to early childhood, but she kept her powers. As it turns out, Betty was a real blessing. We also learn a bit more about Cindy’s first born who is the first new wizard in probably close to a thousand years. Then there is a question that has been floated about. What about death?
Bobbie’s professional golf career is over and now she has a four-year old daughter and a newborn. Cindy and Don are not only raising their firs born, but have also officially adopted Martin and Joann who are only a few months older than their first born. Things are getting interesting.
Bobbie Anderson did not put up her clubs after the Masters victory. She gave free lessons at First Tee, and had numerous speaking engagements. She was also going back to school to get her Doctorate in Psychology. Throughout all that, she continued to practice just to help stay in shape for the ordeal ahead; one that she anticipated with great joy. She and Cindy were going to be mothers in not too many months.
Then came October 31st. The births of Donald Brewer and Cynthia Anderson were uncomplicated and as far as anyone knew, were simultaneous. When they learned how to stop ovulation, they continued to follow the same schedule of turning ovulation off and on. When they had decided it was time to get pregnant, they turned their egg factories back on at the same time. Not surprisingly, they got pregnant at the same time. Needless to say, both were ecstatic. There were no post-partum problems as things just got better and better. At least it did for them.
As often was the case, the Brewers and Andersons got together frequently to enjoy a meal together. Bobbie and Andy were constructing a house at the nearby country club, and Don and Cindy had found a home. It would be quite spectacular. Don and Cindy had returned from Boston, and Cindy was in the midst of raising her son as Bobbie was raising her daughter. On this particular evening, they were dining with Bobbie and Don’s parents at the Brewers’ home. Don noticed something immediately. His parents were obviously tired.
“Mom, is everything okay?” Don asked.
“Why do you ask, Liebchen?”
“You look tired. Dad does, too.”
“Mom,” Cindy always called her mother-in-law mom, “it’s Martin and Joann, isn’t it? It’s not fair to saddle you and Dad with raising two children at this time in your life. They’re not out of diapers, and won’t be for quite a while. You’re both in your sixties. You should be taking it easy, not breaking your necks raising the twins.”
“They’re not a problem. They are good babies, and we love them.”
“Of course you love them. Just like you loved Don, Jorge, Lucy, and Charli. You are wonderful parents, but it’s time you had a rest. The company’s in great hands with Lucy, Tom, Jr., Ezra and David running things. You deserve and need a rest. We’ve been talking about it, and unless you feel very strongly against it, Don and I would like to adopt Martin and Joann. If not adopt, we’d like to take over their guardianship. The Wizard can fix things whichever way you decide to go, if you do.”
“We will not lie to you,” Hilda said patting her husband’s arm. “We have talked about this for a while. We are tired. This taking care of babies is not as easy as it used to be. That night at Augusta I think we were caught off guard. Bob and I always wanted children, and we had been blessed four times over. Then came the opportunity to raise two more children who were in desperate need of a home. They had nowhere to go to without a lot of problems for His Wisdom. It was an easy decision; however, we know now that it was a lot more difficult than we expected. But what could we do? Bobbie and Cindy were expecting their first, and there wasn’t anyone else ready to be a parent.”
The knocking at the door stopped the conversation for a moment. Don opened the door to greet The Wizard. He had a feeling why he was there and Cindy’s nod had confirmed it.
“Good evening, Your Wisdom. May I ask what brings you here this evening? We thought you were in Singapore.”
“I was. Still am for that matter. We have a very nice location below the Ion Sky. Wolf, Padrona, and the pups are watching things. It’s only 8:00 AM there, and we’re not scheduled to open for another hour. Besides, I need to go back and get breakfast for them. They can’t open the canister because they don’t have opposable thumbs.
“Okay, Cindy, Bobbie, and I were talking earlier about things, and she asked me to visit to see if there was anything I could do. I know it’s going to be a difficult decision, whatever you decide; however, for the sake of your health, I think you need to take it easy, and enjoy life. You’re already grandparents, and I assure you there will be many more grandchildren in your future. Enjoy the life you deserve as grandparents. Cindy and Don have agreed to take over their care, and I can move everything they need into their current home. It won’t take but a second.”
Bob Brewer spoke up, “We knew we were going to have to make this decision soon, if not sooner. They are not a year old. We’ll be in our seventies before they won’t need constant attention. There could be a problem, though. They recognize us as their parents. Might it be a bit of a problem if Don and Cindy step in and take over parenting? It will disrupt their routine.
“What do you think, Cindy?”
“This often came up in my studies and in reality during my internship. Children who are adoptees from a shelter or home seem to adjust fairly rapidly. There is a period of adjustment, because they recognize you as the primary care giver. I guess this could be another case study, if you are willing; however, it will never go to print.
“Martin, Joann, are you there?”
“Yes.
“Mom and Dad have been talking. You’re coming home with me.”
“Why? We love Mummy and Daddy. We don’t want to leave them.”
“Of course you don’t, but your Mummy and Daddy are getting old. You’re the first babies they’ve had to care of in a long time. Your Mummy has a problem, and she might get very sick if she doesn’t get some rest. Everything will be fine. You’ll get to see your Mummy and Daddy a lot. They’ll just be your Gramma and Grampa. Everything will be alright. Just don’t cry, please.”
“Okay, Donnie, we won’t.”
“Good, but call me Don.”
Two days later, they completed the move. Cindy wanted to do as much hands on as possible. She also asked The Wizard not to ‘mess’ with their minds. She didn’t want any outside help.
“You know,” Cindy said to The Wizard and her husband as she put the three down for their naps, “there certainly haven’t been any problems to this point. I expected some problems, especially at feeding time, but it’s been pretty smooth so far.”
“Yes,” The Wizard said, “Don told them what was going to happen, and asked them be quiet about it.”
“Don, you did what?” Cindy said, turning to her husband.
“I didn’t do anything,” he said somewhat defensively.
“Not you, Don, the other Don sleeping in the bedroom,” The Wizard chuckled. “They’re always talking back and forth among themselves. Cynthia does it, too. There’s quite a bond among the four, especially between Cynthia and Don.
“We need to talk about something else,” The Wizard said, changing the subject. “It’s very fortunate that you decided to do this. Hilda’s blood pressure over recent weeks has skyrocketed. She needs to see a doctor and get on some medication. I recognized the problem the other night at your dinner. I haven’t been around that much since last spring. Things have been a bit chaotic, as you know.
“I did a little repair, but she needs to take things easy.”
“Repair? You mean stroke, don’t you.”
“Yes, Hilda’s predisposed to them. Her family history is not good. She’s already outlived her parents, grandparents, and her brother and sister. With care, she might live 15 to 20 more years. Don, your father will live a bit longer, but not that much. That’s something that neither of you should dwell on. They will have some very enjoyable golden years.”
“I rather wish you hadn’t told us that,” Cindy said.
“Neither will suffer a long decline. “If you wish, I can erase that little bit of information.”
“That won’t be necessary. It’s not like you gave us a date and time. As long as it’s like you say, and neither will suffer, we’ll put it at the back of our minds. We will all die sooner or later. Even Lazarus Long died eventually. At least I think he did.”
A bit later in the day after The Wizard had returned to Singapore, Cindy was changing the babies’ diapers. Martin and Joann were just short of a year old. Little Don, he did not like that appellation, was five months old as was his ‘twin’, Cynthia. All three were going to be taking there afternoon naps shortly. The younger Don was the last to get his diapers changed.
“So, my wonderful son, the four of you are planning an insurrection?”
“Hardly, we can’t do much other than eat, poop and pee, as you say. I know there’s a big world out there, but we don’t understand it. We’re just trying to learn as much as we can. I know I’m in our bedroom, and in a bed or crib. Those things out there are walls. Where that bright light comes from is a window. Cynthia and I can’t see very far or clearly, but we know who you and Dad are and who Aunt Bobbie and Uncle Andy are. We know the others, too. The Wizard and I talk a lot just about things. Martin and Joann know who you are, but they miss their other parents. I told them not to worry about it. They do like you.”
“Why haven’t you talked to me before?”
“I guess because I’ve just learned how to. I love you Mommy. I think I need to go to sleep for a while.”
“Good night my precious.”
“Don, I just had the most interesting conversation with our son.”
“Seriously?”
“Most seriously. It’s not like I’m talking with an adult, and it’s just basically ideas that my brain translates into words. He is very aware of what’s going on locally; however, his awareness doesn’t go very far beyond that. He can pick up what we talk about, and then he assigns our words to what he is able to sense and see. As His Wisdom says, they are apparently talking among themselves when they are together. This could be very interesting.”
Although Betty is only four years old physically, she is quite wise. She was given a chance to grow up under far better conditions than she did the first time. Randi and Frank were thrust into parenthood rather quickly, but it couldn’t have worked out better. Betty figures there is something very special about her mother. Rather than hide the truth, they explain things to her. Things go very well.
Introduction: This story is the fourth and final story in a series within a series. The overall series is the “Cynthia Chronicles”. This story is directly connected to “Simoné and the Second Time Around”, “Marti and the Doppelganger”, and Marti and the Doppelganger – a Follow Up”. Several of the stories in the Cynthia Chronicles left some unanswered questions. In “Bobbie and the Glass Ceiling” two of the antagonists are regressed to childhood. Now we will learn what happened to them. In “Randi and the College Professor” Randi and Frank Deere adopt Betty, a bit of a rogue witch. Betty was regressed to early childhood, but she kept her powers. As it turns out, Betty was a real blessing. We also learn a bit more about Cindy’s first born who is the first new wizard in probably close to a thousand years. Then there is a question that has been floated about. What about death?
Remember Betty? She was the young witch who tried to break up the romance between Randi Lewis and Frank Deere. She didn’t know there were other witches and had never had any formal training until she found a book of programmed learning for witches. She doesn’t understand her power and makes some significant, far reaching mistakes. Betty is given a second chance, and now she is the adopted daughter of the two people she tried to break apart. Things are going quite well as we shall see.
Martin started walking when he was just a bit over 13 months old. His sister started a month later. This was May and June of the year following their births. Donald Alfred was eight months old as was Cynthia Anderson. Bobbie would win the (British) Open in just a little over a month. She had played in two PGA tournaments as warm ups, and finished in the top ten both times. Her game was right where she wanted it.
Randi and Frank Deere were expecting their first. They had made the decision to start a family as soon as possible after they got married, and it didn’t take long. Betty, now four years old and officially adopted by the Deeres, had turned out to be a real blessing. In many ways, she acted like a twelve-year old. The suppression of her previous memories had been only partially successful. At best, they had been smoothed over. Her previous ‘R’ and ‘X’ rated behavior wasn’t totally hidden from her, but she didn’t dwell on it. She would never have to be told about the birds and the bees; however, the burden of her past behavior for the most part was no more. She was loved, she was still magic, she had Marvin, and soon she would have a little sister. This was something she eagerly waited for.
It hadn’t taken her long to realize what a joy families were. One of these days she would find the right young man, or perhaps he would find her. They would have children surrounded by love, and there would be many others for them to play with from their extended family. She had it all worked out, and this time there was no avarice involved.
“Mommy, do you need any help with dinner?”
“Sure. Set the table for six. Gramma and Grampa Lewis are coming, and so is Aunt Marti.”
“I like Aunt Marti. She showed me some neat tricks. The Wizard says it was okay.”
“I thought you were watching Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood.”
“I was, but it’s over. He was such a nice man. I wish I had watched him before.” Betty got a bit pensive, with a faraway look. Randi was thinking about that previous life Betty had experienced in that church home. The children who resided there were not allowed to watch “Educational TV” without the approval of the sisters. As Mr. Rogers was a Protestant minister, his teachings weren’t appropriate for good Catholic children. At least they weren’t in Betty’s universe.
There had been a time shortly before Randi and Frank got married when Betty began to realize ‘in depth’ what had happened to her. It bothered her briefly until she realized what a blessing it had actually been. She was getting instruction on how to be a better human being, and how to be a better witch. She was surrounded by people who knew what she had been through, and those people loved her. They loved Marvin, too. Marissa Lewis’s magic hadn’t changed him one bit. Then there were all those cats. Silky and Marvin, a ferret, were best friends. Queen Maddie was definitely in charge among the families’ familiars. Betty saw her frequently. Then there was ‘Willy the Giant’. He was with Charli. With the exception of Phantom, who was Terri’s associate and Willy’s son, he was twice as large as the other cats.
It was shortly after Randi and Frank’s marriage that Betty lost the baby talk. Marissa fixed that when she saw how difficult it was for Betty to try to converse. She made a few corrections, and Betty was able to converse without sounding like an infant. At the same time though, Marissa strengthened the acceptance for Betty that she was just four years old, even if she was a bit precocious. Betty never thought she was being punished. She just knew she was being given a chance for a wonderful life; a life that was hers to develop in the best way possible.
They had recently moved to Boston as both Frank and Randi were involved in academics: Randi working on her PhD, and Frank was working with Avery Mankowitz on several physics projects. Randi was happily showing her first pregnancy. She couldn’t be more pleased.
“Mommy, tell me about Aunt Bobbie and Aunt Cindy.”
“Well, they have been best friends since they were little girls. That’s not exactly right. They were in elementary school when they met.” Randi said avoiding the obvious. She hoped that the discussion was not going where she hoped it wouldn’t.
“Remember when I told you that you and Daddy were my angels because you saved my life.”
“Well, yes. Why?”
“You never told me how Aunt Cindy and Aunt Bobbie saved your life.”
This was going to be very difficult, Randi realized. Then she realized what had happen when she told Frank about her origin. Of course, that time, he’d pretty much figured things out when he read the headstone.
“Frank, I think Betty and I need to take a trip. Would you like to come?
“I guess, where are you going?”
“To the place where you proposed to me.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, I don’t see any alternative. Betty needs to know the truth. I think she’s old enough, even though she doesn’t appear to be.”
Betty was watching her parents with a bit of a quizzical look.
“That is a rather long drive, and it is afternoon.”
“Let me make a phone call
It took only a second to reach The Wizard via her cell phone. “Your Wisdom, Frank and I would like to take Betty to the cemetery outside Bridgeport. I think she needs to see it. It’s a bit late to make the drive. I could transport by myself, but I can’t take them with me. Could we meet you at the mall in about 30 minutes?”
“Certainly, I think it’s an excellent idea. She’s old enough to understand.
“I’ll see you at the mall.”
It didn’t take long for them to pull up at the side entrance that led them to the delivery door to the SRU shop. It didn’t really matter where the shop was. If the door was enabled it would lead to the rear room of the shop. Likewise, they could exit the door at any place The Wizard chose. Betty pressed the delivery button, she had done it several times in the past, and the buzz of the electronic lock let them know it was okay to enter.
Betty had accidently bumped the skeleton her first time there, and was startled as it disassembled. She gave it wide berth this time.
“Betty, why don’t you use the bathroom while we talk to His Wisdom.”
“Okay, if we’re going to take a trip, I should,” Betty said as she entered the room that was far too big for the space it occupied. The Wizard and Randi had made many improvements to it over the years. When Adam, now Terri, had written it up during an insurance inspection, The Wizard realized that what he thought was ambience, was just sloppy. Now there was a modern toilet replacing the one with the always breaking toilet seat. The modern sink replaced the old porcelain pedestal one that looked like it came out of a 1940s service station. Randi had balked at installing a modern hand dryer because they spread germs, and weren’t that environmentally correct. She had The Wizard install a germ and virus filter that was 100 percent efficient. She had him install a regular paper towel dispenser that was much more environmentally correct. She also installed a tub and separate shower. Wolf and family enjoyed that more than anyone else.
“Do you think it’s wise to show that to her now?” Frank asked. “After all, she’s not even five years old.”
“She’s a lot older mentally, and she’s magic,” The Wizard replied. “Her advances have been rather remarkable, all things considered. For the first time in her life she is truly happy. You are wonderful parents, and you are enabling all those repairs to her psyche that couldn’t have happened otherwise. The subject is bound to come up many times over the years ahead with everyone knowing what Randi, Cindy, and Don went through. She’ll also learn about those other transitions very soon. All of that won’t be important enough for her to dwell on. This way you will never be having to explain something to her when the time isn’t right. After all, she knows what happened to her, what she did to everyone. She was forgiven on the spot. Now she doesn’t have to dwell on any of it. She’ll be fine.
“By the way, here are the keys to your rented car, complete with an approved seat for Betty. It’s a beautiful day for a trip in the country.”
They walked hand in hand out the front door to the parking lot outside the mall in Bridgeport.
“That was a great day, wasn’t it?” Frank said. Betty looked up at her handsome father.
“This was where I met your mother. I fell in love with her in about two seconds.”
Randi looked to see Betty start to tear up. “Don’t you dare cry. We’re together and we love you very much. We’ve learned a lot about ourselves since then. We are a family, and you will always be part of it. One of these days you are going to meet someone like your father. You will fall in love, and if you want to, have all the children you desire.”
“I’m so sorry, Mommy.”
“You have nothing to be sorry for. Everything is fine, and no one is mad at you. We are a happy family, and you will have a little sister in just a few months.
“I’ll tell you what. What’s that truck over there in the shade?”
“That’s the ice cream truck that comes by our house.”
“Well, not quite, but it’s the same company. Let’s get you an ice cream cone. What flavor do you want?”
“Stwawbewwy,” Betty said with a little smile. “I love you, Mommy.”
“We love you, Betty, and don’t ever forget it.”
Betty’s mood improved dramatically as she buckled herself into the well-designed seat. It was just a short drive to the cemetery where they parked in the small lot at the bottom of the hill.
“I smell flowers. They smell real good.”
“We’ll see them in a minute. It’s not a very long walk.” They stopped by a concrete bench next to a large sugar maple.
“This is where your Daddy proposed to me the day after we met.”
“Did you say yes?”
“Of course I did. I chided your father for being a bit slow.”
“Why were you here? It’s pretty, but it’s a graveyard. Did someone die?”
“Yes, a long time ago.”
“Oh, look at all the flowers. They smell so good.”
“They’re my favorites: roses and gardenias.”
They stopped in front of the headstone. Betty read the words that her father had read less than a year before:
“Mommy, what’s your name. I know everyone calls you Randi, but that’s just a nickname isn’t it?
“Christine Miranda Lewis Deere.” Randi remembered Frank’s reaction.
“You and Aunt Cindy?”
“Yes.”
“And Aunt Bobbie?”
“No, that was different.”
“Hmmm,” Betty looked at the grave and marker before walking to the flowers that never faded, never wilted, and continuously gave off their wonderful fragrance.
“Can we go home, now? I want to give The Wizard a hug and a kiss.”
It was ten years before she talked about it again.
“Mom, when Aunt Randi visited the other day, I discovered there was someone else with her. Her name is Linda. She doesn’t talk a whole lot, but she knows who she is. She loves music. She doesn’t understand where she is. I told her not to worry. I startled her the first time. She thought I was in there with her. How did she get in there, anyway?”
“We’ll talk about that later.”
“Okay.”
“Don, our precocious son has been communicating with Linda. I’ll have to explain privacy issues with him one of these days. I don’t think he’s intruding. He also asked how she got inside Randi”
Martin and Joann had been toddling around before being settled down for their afternoon nap. Maddie was watching them as Don was working on a legal brief.
“I imagine he’ll figure it out rather quickly. If it gets to the point I have to tell him, I will. We had to explain to Lucy when she was 12 about Santa Claus. She took it rather well.”
“When the children are toilet trained, what would you think about creating a little brother or sister for them?”
“I think you are the one who is in control of that option. We’ve gone over this quite a bit, and you know I’m in favor of more children.
“Are you happy, Cindy?”
“I couldn’t be happier. It just gets better and better. I’m going to put the twins down for a nap. You’ve been working too hard. I think you could use a nap, too.”
As naps went, they didn’t get much sleep.
“Bob, the doctor says I’m dangerously hypertensive. He thought about putting me in the hospital, but said if I took it easy, I could go home. I’ll have to wear a monitor.”
Dr. Stephanopoulos had been standing in the background as Hilda told her husband what he had told her.
“I’ve prescribed some medication that has been very effective in reducing blood pressure without serious side effects. She is going to have to take it easy for a while, and we’ll monitor her readings closely. If and when things get down to a safe level, I would suggest taking a long cruise, and just enjoy life, your children, and grandchildren.”
Three months later, they left on a cruise around the world. They would take many more cruises over the years. As their grandchildren got older, they frequently accompanied them on their trips.
It didn’t happen right away, but six months after young Donald was walking, Cindy turned on her ‘egg factory’. They missed the first time, but four weeks later Cindy was pregnant. Bobbie determined very quickly that there was a little girl ‘in there’. Cindy couldn’t be happier. She seldom reflected on that past life she’d had. She knew it hadn’t been a waste, because it gave her a real insight on how horrible being transgender could be for some people. She would use that knowledge to the best of her ability.
Next time: We are going several years into the future. Cindy and Bobby are settled into their roles and psychiatrist and psychologist. Although most of their work is with the non-transgender, they do get more clients than the statistical average who are truly transgender. We will visit two of their many successful ‘cases’.
Introduction: This story is the fourth and final story in a series within a series. The overall series is the “Cynthia Chronicles”. This story is directly connected to “Simoné and the Second Time Around”, “Marti and the Doppelganger”, and Marti and the Doppelganger – a Follow Up”. Several of the stories in the Cynthia Chronicles left some unanswered questions. In “Bobbie and the Glass Ceiling” two of the antagonists are regressed to childhood. Now we will learn what happened to them. In “Randi and the College Professor” Randi and Frank Deere adopt Betty, a bit of a rogue witch. Betty was regressed to early childhood, but she kept her powers. As it turns out, Betty was a real blessing. We also learn a bit more about Cindy’s first born who is the first new wizard in probably close to a thousand years. Then there is a question that has been floated about. What about death?
We meet Marion Johnson, a retired NFL football star. Terri Matthews, his boss, knows immediately that Marion is transgender. She watches him closely. Well, as well as she can as they are in separate locations in Connecticut. He finally comes out to Terri, and the process begins. -->
Cindy and Bobbie had one advantage that few counseling establishments had. They had ‘been there and done that’. Dealing with transgender was a very small portion of their clientele. They worked with adults as well as with children. They worked with the mentally ill. They worked with the abused, the disadvantaged and an increasingly increasing number of those suffering from PTSD. Their current world was starting to fall into the pit Randi’s previous world had fallen into. They were uniquely qualified to work with the transgender.
If they determined an individual was truly transgender, and that was pretty much instantaneous, they had several options depending on the individual, the individual’s age, and the orientation of the child’s parents. Some situations were far easier than others. They had cases where an adult requested counseling. It might have been due to a person’s desire to seek help. It could be due to a parent’s concern about their child’s confusion about their sex. It might also be due to parents wanting to ‘cure’ their child of his or her delusions. If Cindy and Bobbie felt an actual transformation was the best route to follow, they would ask The Wizard to step in. There was no need to have the transgender individual to have to go through the agony of HRT, surgery and facing a community that might not be very accepting. I think a few examples might help.
Cindy had completed her review of the files belonging to Marion Johnson. Marion was a very successful safety consultant working for a major insurance company headquartered in Connecticut. Marion had considered suicide; however, stopped taking that action at the last moment. He knew he needed help.
“Mr. Johnson, Dr. Anderson and I have reviewed your file and we feel very strongly that you are indeed transgender.”
“Well, that certainly didn’t take long. I thought these things took months of counselling and tests, to come to a conclusion like that.”
“Dr. Anderson and I have specialized in this area for quite a while. I don’t think we’ve ever been wrong in making that determination. Do you have any problems with that diagnosis? After all, that’s why you came to us in the first place.”
“My supervisor, Terri Matthews, recommended I see you. We were doing a joint survey, and she sensed something about me. I was getting very depressed, and it didn’t take much for her to get the story out of me. She never batted an eye. She said I couldn’t go wrong, and she authorized medical leave for me to come here on company time. She said she didn’t want to lose me. I think she meant that in the literal sense.
“I’ve told all of this to you and Dr. Anderson before, but hearing a positive response this quickly is very nice,” Marion said in a rather upbeat tone.
“I guess the question at this time is what action do you wish to pursue?” Cindy responded.
“That’s the hell of this entire situation, Dr. Brewer. I would love to be able to transition; however, I would be a rather unpleasant joke. I am six and a half feet tall. I played football in the NFL for nine years. I’ve played in the Super Bowl twice; been on the winning side once. I have a graduate degree in safety engineering, and have a great job with a great company. I am unmarried. There is a woman who works in my office whom I am very fond of, and I know she likes me. There are some problems, though. She’s gay. I wish we could connect beyond an office friendship, but that will never be. She is such a wonderful person. If I did transition, I would be a joke. As much as I like her, the before and after would be too much to take.”
“So, what actions would you want to take to make you feel more comfortable,” Dr. Brewer asked.
“I don’t know. I don’t see any acceptable solution. I could get on HRT, grow some unsubstantial breasts, maybe get breast augmentation, I don’t know. I could get facial feminization surgery, but I’ve seen what the surgeons said they could do. It’s not acceptable.
“My god, I weigh nearly 300 pounds. I could never get my proportions right even if I tried.”
“Mr. Johnson, suppose there was a way you could become the way you wanted to be, what would you want”
“I would want Emily Warren to love me as I was.”
“I don’t think we could do that. Nature would just have to take its course. What would you want physically? If it were possible.”
“I’m not sure why you’re asking. We know that’s not possible.”
“Humor me,”
“Well, Emily is short; about five-four. I would love to be about the same height, maybe an inch or two taller. She has a beautiful figure, and I know she’s proud of it. I would like to be her complement, what she desires in a lover.”
“Do you have any other preferences?”
“Well since we are fantasizing, I’d like to be strawberry blonde, a real ginger. But if that is not what appeals to Emily, I would gladly appeal to her desires.”
“I think I understand what your desires are. You will not be able to discuss anything we’ve discussed in this meeting with anyone but Dr. Anderson, Dr. Bettencourt and me. I have written a prescription for you. Please take it to Dr. Bettencourt. His office is next door to this one. He is expecting you. Please return to me after Dr. Bettencourt has completed his consultation.”
Cindy’s calendar was open for the remainder of the day, so she took care of some paperwork while she waited for the knock on her door that she knew would soon be coming. It took about 45 minutes.
“Come in.”
Cindy looked at the young woman who entered. She was about five-six, but it was just a guess because of her low heels. She was definitely a strawberry blonde, and this was supported by the freckles that adorned her complexion. She had a nice figure; a bit athletic, but not voluptuous. Her green eyes sparkled.
Marianne seated herself in the chair ‘he’ had left less than an hour before.
“Are you okay?”
“Okay would be an understatement. Obviously, all those myths are true. Well at least, most of them are. Thank you for believing me. I know I won’t be able to talk about this on the outside; however, there will be a place in my heart for you forever. The Wizard told me that everything will have changed as far as my family, friends and associates are, but that I will never forget, unless I want to. I don’t intend to forget, and I will send anyone who needs your help to you. I owe you my life.
“It also seems my two super bowl rings are now an Olympic Gold Medal and an Olympic Silver Medal for soccer. It seems I was a pretty good soccer player, but my memories will always be of football. The soccer memories are there if I want them. I can see I’m still athletic. I am so ….” Tears started to flow.
Cindy folded the smaller woman in her arms, and gave her a gentle kiss. Marianne gradually regained her composure.
“It has never been easy for me to hide my emotions, but being happy never made me cry before. I guess I’m going to have to carry more tissues.
“I am very glad that we could do this for you,” Cindy said. “You know how to reach me if you need any help. I don’t think you will need any, though. Don’t forget those pills. I know you’re on a bit of a high right now. I know, because I was there once.”
Marianne looked at Cindy, and suddenly she understood.
The next morning Marianne was at her desk. She was about five minutes late. In spite of the programmed instructions The Wizard had given her, getting ready for work was more time consuming than she expected. She had driven through the doughnut shop and picked up a cup of coffee and some crullers. She was refilling her cup in the break room when Emily Warren came in to refill her cup.
“Good morning Anne, how’s your morning going?”
“Not bad, how about you?”
“Pretty good, do you have a couple of minutes?”
“Sure.”
Marianne followed Emily to one of several tables in the room. They were the only two in the room.
“Anne, how long have we known each other?”
“I guess three years. You introduced yourself to me that day Terri took me around to meet everyone.”
“You’ve known about me from very early on, and I think I’ve known about you. I’m just wondering why we’ve never connected?”
“I don’t really know, Emily. Maybe it was due to some bad relations in the past. I’m sure you’ve noticed I’m not very outgoing. My mother says I’m too shy.”
“Bull shit! I used to watch you play soccer. You put in the winning goal in the Olympic finals. You weren’t very shy about celebrating. I had a thing about you then. Then you retired after that injury, and six months later you showed up here. My heart fluttered. I don’t think half the people here knew who you were, but I did. You always smiled at me with that beautiful smile, but that was it.
“Well, I’m tired of waiting. I’m inviting you over to my place for dinner tonight. I have some great wine, and port for after dinner. I will not take no for an answer; seven o’clock, be there.”
If Marianne had any doubts about Emily, they were eliminated that night, and the next two nights and days. They were drinking some after dinner port and listening to some Ravel. It was not the Bolero; just some nice quiet chamber music. Their shoes had long since been kicked off. They were side by side on the couch, just gently leaning against each other. Maybe Emily had started it by making the date; however, Marianne knew where this night was going to from the time she had entered the apartment. She knew the time was right as she turned to Emily who had somewhat of an inviting expression on her face. Her lips were slightly parted. Marianne gently kissed her soft lips. Soon they were devouring each other.
Marianne paused for a moment and looked down at her lover’s eyes.
“Please,” Emily asked. She didn’t really have to.
Marianne led Emily to Emily’s bedroom. Emily stood quietly, shaking a bit, as Marianne gently disrobed her. Somehow Marianne was already nude. Emily’s body was perfect. Marianne’s imagination hadn’t failed her. She was ready. She had been ready for nearly three years. To say they were compatible was an understatement.
Afterwards, Emily was quietly weeping as Marianne gently held her while lightly stroking her body. “So long, why did this take so damn long? I was ready for you three years ago.”
“Sometimes things take a while to work out. Let’s just say I was very attracted to you not long after we met that first time. I knew you were the one then, but there were some problems that had to be taken care of.”
“I don’t think I understand,” Emily said after kissing her lover’s beautiful breasts. Marianne’s gentle petting had started her fires to build again.
“I will tell you someday,” Marianne whispered. She suddenly realized something. The fact that she was able to say that meant she would be able to tell her. “I think I will be able to tell you soon, very soon.”
Marianne and Emily’s love story continues. Emily and Marianne meet The Wizard and learn a little more about each other. They want to start a family.
Introduction: This story is the fourth and final story in a series within a series. The overall series is the “Cynthia Chronicles”. This story is directly connected to “Simoné and the Second Time Around”, “Marti and the Doppelganger”, and Marti and the Doppelganger – a Follow Up”. Several of the stories in the Cynthia Chronicles left some unanswered questions. In “Bobbie and the Glass Ceiling” two of the antagonists are regressed to childhood. Now we will learn what happened to them. In “Randi and the College Professor” Randi and Frank Deere adopt Betty, a bit of a rogue witch. Betty was regressed to early childhood, but she kept her powers. As it turns out, Betty was a real blessing. We also learn a bit more about Cindy’s first born who is the first new wizard in probably close to a thousand years. Then there is a question that has been floated about. What about death?
Marianne and Emily were obviously meant for each other. They are gradually let in on the friendly conspiracy that had been going on for a while. They will soon be a happily married couple living in the same neighborhood as Jim and Terri Matthews, Lisa and Rosemary Fischer-Hamilton, and Tamesha and Wanda. What could possibly go wrong? -->
That time came more quickly than Marianne expected. There was no doubt in her mind that her relationship with Emily was rock solid and there was no way they were going to live separately. Emily moved in with Marianne a week later. There was a bit more room there, but it was only temporary. A real estate agent friend of Emily’s was already looking for the ideal home for them. They already knew they wanted to have a family.
The denouement as far as trying to explain why Marianne had not connected with Emily earlier came only two weeks after their first night together. They were doing a bit of shopping for some essential items at one of the anchor stores at the local mall. They were really just enjoying being together. As they entered the main mall, they caught the eyes of several of the shoppers, as they were holding hands. In most of Europe, no one would have batted an eye as this was common behavior among women friends. It had nothing to do with homosexuality or lesbianism. That was not the case in the good ol’ US of A.
“What a strange looking little shop,” Emily exclaimed. “Let’s go in. We don’t really have to be anywhere.”
“Oh my god,” Marianne said under her breath as she saw the old sign. The old plate glass window was just like she thought it should be. She hoped it was shatter proof.
The tinkling of the bell only confirmed what she already knew. They were greeted by Wolf and Padrona who had been resting by the old, shabby chic counter.
“Yikes!” escaped from Emily.
“Don’t worry, Em. They’re okay; at least I hope they are.”
“Hi, I’m Wolf and this is my wife, Padrona. We’d love to have you meet the kids, but they’re in Africa helping capture some poachers.”
“Could we have a snack?” Padrona asked. “They’re in that jar, but we can’t open it because we don’t have opposable thumbs.”
“Give them all they want,” a voice said from a room beyond a beaded curtain, “They’ve been pretty good.”
Marianne immediately recognized Dr. Brewer’s voice. That wasn’t really much of a surprise.
Emily had opened the jar, and was handing out snacks. “Are you really a wolf?”
“Yes, ma’am, I’ve been with the boss for six or seven hundred years.”
“Emily, I would like to introduce you to some friends of mine,” Marianne said as she took her lover’s hand and led her to the back room.
“The gentleman on the left is The Wizard, also known to a few as Dr. Aloysius Bettencourt. That beautiful blonde is Dr. Cynthia Brewer, and that gorgeous redhead is Dr. Bobbie Anderson, Cynthia’s best friend. Folks, this is the love of my life, Emily Warren. I’ve loved her for quite a while, and we’ve finally been able to realize our love for each other.”
“Oh my,” Emily said, obviously in a bit of awe.
“Emily, it’s so nice to see you again,” Bobbie said.
The remark went over Emily’s head, but Marianne caught it immediately. She looked at Cindy who winked back at her. Obviously, something was going on.
“Bobbie Anderson,” Emily said with sudden recognition. “I watched you win all those tournaments. I was so infatuated with you, but you were already taken. Then I started seeing this beautiful woman playing soccer on the sports channel, and suddenly she was working in my office. Now we’re finally together. I couldn’t be happier.”
“Things do work out, don’t they, Emily,” The Wizard said. “Why don’t we have some refreshments and talk about old times.”
Now Marianne knew for sure something was going on. Emily hadn’t batted an eye when Wolf and Padrona talked to her. It was almost like they were old friends. It was obvious that the two knew Emily, but Emily didn’t remember them.
Emily took a drink of her iced tea and started looking around the room. She looked at the skeleton by the rest room, and giggled. “I knocked that down. That was funny. Then Bobbie said “Osteo Erectus” and it put itself back together. The Wizard made a warm bed for me over there. I was so cold. Bobbie found me in an alley. She started to warm me up a little. She was so pretty, and she smelled so good. Her boyfriend was with her. He carried me here.”
Marianne realized that Emily was releasing old memories. She wasn’t really speaking to anyone in particular.
“I had run away from that awful place. They were so cruel and they let the other boys beat me up. They just watched and laughed. I snuck out and hopped a train in Erie. I was so cold and so hungry. A hobo shared his food with me in Albany. He let me sleep with him in his bed roll. He didn’t molest me or anything. He just kept me warm. For some reason I had to come here. This wasn’t home. I grew up in Seattle. I didn’t really grow up there. I was only ten when my parents were killed in an auto accident. I wasn’t with them when it happened. I went to live with my aunt in Pennsylvania, but she hated me. I don’t know why. She put me in that horrible place in Erie.
“Then I came here and Bobbie found me. The Wizard knew about the real me, and he fixed that right away. Then he found a couple who adopted me. I love them so much, and they are so happy I finally found Marianne. We’re going to visit them next weekend. They’re in Hartford.”
Obviously, Emily was back. “Well, hello everyone. That was certainly strange having that all come out now. Your Wisdom, you told me that would happen when the time was right. I guess this was that time. It’s so nice to see all of you again.”
She looked at Marianne who had a huge smile on her face. “Did you know about this; what happened to me?”
“Not until now, it seems I have a little bit more to tell you, too.”
“Maybe, I can help,” The Wizard said.
“Emily, you know we can change things on a small scale, sometimes more in serious cases. I am going to give you a brief memory of the last three years when things were a bit different.”
Suddenly, Emily ‘knew’. She remembered the tall, muscular, good looking ex-football player who had joined her office staff. He’d known about her early on, but was always so nice to her. Once people knew she was gay, they would often just turn off everything but the business professional attitude. It was strictly impersonal. Marion was different. He always had a smile for her and a pleasant greeting. They would share a cup of coffee. Some of the other female office members did, but it didn’t mean much. When her car was in the shop due to an accident, he drove out of his way to pick her up and drive her home. He never came close to making a pass at her. Now she understood. “Marion.”
“I loved you then, Emily, but I respected you too much to push things. This is the real me. It always has been. Thankfully, I found these wonderful people who really understood me.”
“There was one more who understood, Marianne. We’re going to have lunch with her. I’ve moved the store a few miles to West Hartford. It’s not a great location; however, it’s very convenient.”
The Wizard hung a sign that said “Closed for lunch – Will be back, whenever” and the group walked to the other end of the small strip mall. They stopped at a small restaurant where the sign said “Closed for Private Luncheon”. The Wizard held the door open for the others.
The first words uttered came simultaneously from Marianne and Emily’s mouths, “Terri Matthews, what are you doing here?”
“Well, Jim and I wanted to congratulate Marianne and Emily for finally getting together. It took a bit longer than we thought it would, but I think things are working out just fine.”
“You know? How do you know?” Marianne spluttered.
“Marianne, I’ve known since the first day I met you. If things had gone bad for you, I would never have allowed you to do anything serious. I knew how you felt about Emily right away.”
“Have you been reading my mind?”
“A little bit. I knew who you were the first day we met. I don’t have to read minds to find that out. I did a little surface check, but after that you were off limits. I just watched you closely, and when you came out to me, I was so relieved because I knew things were going to work out. I just made sure you visited the right people.
“So you are …?”
“A witch, just like Cindy and Bobbie, and the owners of this fine establishment whom I will introduce to you now.”
Marianne and Emily turned to see a very tall auburn haired woman accompanied by a considerably shorter dark blonde. They were both quite attractive. The taller of the two was visibly pregnant. “Marianne and Emily, may I present Lisa and Rosemary Fischer-Hamilton. They are the owners of this fine establishment, and have offered to fix a nice lunch for us.”
“Rosemary, I remember you,” Emily exclaimed. “You spent a week at our office two years ago fixing that IT problem. You’re running a restaurant, now?”
“No, this is Lisa’s. I just help out. I’m still in IT with Jim Matthews, Terri’s husband. I just help out on special occasions like today.”
It didn’t take long before Emily and Marianne learned exactly how much they had in common with the other women. Other than not being magic, all of them had similar origins. All of them had been born in the wrong bodies. They were a very special group.
After a very satisfying and over the top lunch, Terri rapped her glass to get the attention of everyone. “Folks, we have some other things to take care of before Emily and Marianne have to get back to Bridgeport. They are not aware of it, but both are being offered promotions to the home office. We would love to have them move to Hartford, and this is from both a company position and from the hopes of our little group.
“Emily, Underwriting, as you know, has a position opening for the Assistant Director of the Eastern Region. The position is yours if you want it. The official letter will be in your mail box tomorrow.”
“But …,” Emily spluttered.
“Emily, you weren’t listening. You have nothing to worry about. We knew you wouldn’t accept the position if Marianne couldn’t make the move.
“We also have a position open for a Senior Loss Control Consultant. John Renniger is retiring in six months. I already have approval for Marianne to take that position.
“Now we want to show something to you.
“Lisa, are Amy and her sister expecting us?”
“Yes, the babies are taking a nap, and the rest are out at the playground. There shouldn’t be any problem.”
Terri led the two somewhat unsuspecting women to a door in the dry storage pantry. She led them through the door, and they were suddenly somewhere else; not in the space next to the restaurant.
“This is Lisa and Rosemary’s home. Watch out for the toys on the floor. They have quite a brood. Amy and Sally help out with the baby sitting, but Amy’s more involved with learning to be a chef, so Sally’s taking over the baby-sitting chores. The oldest children are going to school; however, since this is a weekend, all the little ones are home. Our oldest two are out there in the playground, and our youngest is at home down the street. Jim is watching him at the moment. As soon as you go back to Bridgeport, I’ll come back here to help Jim and the others.”
“I thought I knew where I was,” Marianne exclaimed. “I had dinner with you and Jim when you were interviewing me for the job. This is such a nice area. I do have a question, though. How do you work that thing with the doors between here and the restaurant? That is rather disorientating to say the least.”
“That’s a little trick that Cindy’s sister figured out many years ago. Randi is somewhat of a genius both in magic and in the sciences. She figured out how to eliminate space between two points on earth. She started out with a pet door, and graduated to just about any door. We’re about a half mile from the restaurant. She installed the door to expedite going between the restaurant and here. The thing is, no one has figured out how she does it. The Wizard does something similar, but even he hasn’t figured out how Randi does it.
“One of the reasons we are here is that I want to show you something.” Terri led the two awestruck women outside.
“That construction will be the Day Care Center. We are keeping it architecturally compatible with everything else around here. Marianne, you know what our home is like. It, like Lisa and Rosemary’s are converted duplexes. It really works out very well. Eventually, we will convert most of the duplexes as the need arises.
“Let’s take a look at the one down the street. It should be completed in about six months.”
Emily and Marianne made some suggestions to alter the plans in certain areas. The home was ready for them a month before they married. Cindy and Terri were Maids of Honor at the wedding. After returning from a very pleasant honeymoon, Emily and Marianne settled into a life as wife and wife.
About two weeks after they returned from their honeymoon cruise, they received a call from Cindy. “Hey, I was wondering if you two might be up to having some visitors tomorrow night.”
“Certainly,” Emily answered. “We’re having Lisa and Rosemary over for dinner, but we always have room for more.”
“How about if The Wizard and I came for dessert? I know you’ve met Wanda and Tamesha. They would like to come for dessert, too.”
“Oh, I love them. They greeted us a few weeks ago. We didn’t realize they lived here when we had dinner at their restaurant. They treated us like royalty. The owner was so nice, and he had nothing but praise for them. Their children are delights.”
“Okay, we’ll be there after dinner.”
Emily and Marianne knew something was up, but weren’t sure what it was. Shortly after dinner, Cindy and The Wizard showed up at the front door with Tamesha and Wanda. Tamesha was carrying their youngest. The rest were under the care of Wolf and Padrona. They were excellent short term baby sitters. Not having apposable thumbs made some of the normal babysitting chores, such as changing diapers, impossible.
“The reason we wanted to talk to you,” The Wizard said, “is to discuss a proposition. This crème brulée is excellent, by the way.”
“We can’t take credit for that,” Marianne said. “Lisa brought it, and I agree, it is excellent.”
“Your Wisdom,” Cindy interjected.
“Oh yes, what I wanted to ask, although I’m pretty sure I know what the answer is, have you given some thoughts about increasing the size of your family?”
“We have,” Emily said. “We’ve been talking to some adoption agencies and fertility clinics. We’re just not convinced they’re the best way to go. We are only attracted to women in a sexual way; in particular, each other. Neither of us desires a sexual relationship with a man, even if it is to procreate.”
“I have a proposition for you. We have been saving unwanted embryos. It takes some work; however, each is ready for implantation. All you have to do is give the word, and I can have you ready to accept the embryo and implant it at the same time. I will even alter the “Y” chromosome in some cases to an “X” chromosome if the need arises.”
“I don’t think I understand,” Marianne said. “Why would you do that?”
“There is a point very early in the embryonic development when many of us can detect gender; however, sometimes something happens that the gender and sex don’t match. It’s relatively easy to fix that in a few minutes for male to female. Fortunately, the female to male mismatch doesn’t happen very often. We have to go back to the point of conception, and select the correct sperm. That’s very difficult, but we do it.”
“So, the embryos are not genetically related to us,” Marianne said rather firmly.
“No, they are not; however, I can make some phenotypical adjustments so there is a strong familial resemblance.”
“I know we want children, and quite frankly, if I can bear a child, that would be far preferable to adoption,” Emily said while looking at Marianne.
“Actually, I think what you suggest is quite a nice surprise, I’m certainly willing,” Marianne agreed. “Maybe I am hoping for too much, but is there any way we could bear our own children?”
“Actually, there is, The Wizard said. “Lisa and Rosemary, and Wanda and Tamesha have taken advantage of it. You haven’t met Myrna Moskowitz yet, but she is one of the world’s best geneticists. She has developed a method of taking the genetic material from one egg and combining it with the genetic material from another egg. She has taught me the details on how to make this work. The children in that case will always be female, and there is a 25 percent chance that they might be magic.”
“I don’t think I understand,” Marianne sounded a bit puzzled.
“When we fixed your past situations, I was able to make you half magic. We can’t do any more than that.
“Marianne, somewhere out there is a red-headed witch who allowed me to use her magic gene in your transition. We also found a donor for Emily.”
“We’ve been talking this over for a while, as you know. Emily and I have no particular preference as far as our children’s genders are concerned. If we have boys, it will have to be the first way you suggested. Let’s use Dr. Mankowitz’ way to even out the boy/girl ratio.
“What do you think, Emily?”
“I’m all for it. Who’s first?”
This story is far from over. You might remember that both Wanda and Penny were emancipated from their parents. Penny’s parents were a lost cause as we found out in the last story; however, things are going to work out a bit differently with Wanda and Tamesha. Tamesha’s parents never had a problem with her sexuality. Wanda was a bit of a shock to them, they accepted her immediately. Wanda’s parents however, are a different matter.
Introduction: This story is the fourth and final story in a series within a series. The overall series is the “Cynthia Chronicles”. This story is directly connected to “Simoné and the Second Time Around”, “Marti and the Doppelganger”, and Marti and the Doppelganger – a Follow Up”. Several of the stories in the Cynthia Chronicles left some unanswered questions. In “Bobbie and the Glass Ceiling” two of the antagonists are regressed to childhood. Now we will learn what happened to them. In “Randi and the College Professor” Randi and Frank Deere adopt Betty, a bit of a rogue witch. Betty was regressed to early childhood, but she kept her powers. As it turns out, Betty was a real blessing. We also learn a bit more about Cindy’s first born who is the first new wizard in probably close to a thousand years. Then there is a question that has been floated about. What about death?
It’s Tamesha and Wanda’s fifth wedding anniversary, and there is going to be a little party for the lovers. There is also a very nice surprise. Wanda’s parents show up. -->
Emily and Marianne had just finished their Sunday morning run around the neighborhood, and were jointly showering in their luxury bath. Anne, as Em preferred to call her, had persuaded Em to start a bit of an exercise program. The program included a couple of miles of gentle running. Being able to run again was a great joy for Marianne. Her horrible ankle injury that had ended her football or soccer career, depending which universe one was referring to, had made running impossible and walking any distance quite painful. That was fixed now, along with everything else.
They were gently lathering each other up a bit with a skin conditioning wash when Em paused in her loving task. “What do we have here?” she said as her hand paused on her lover’s lower abdomen.
“I don’t know, Em. It started showing up a couple of weeks ago. Frankly, I’m mystified.”
“Could it possibly have anything to do with the fact you are thoroughly knocked up?”
“You know, I hadn’t thought of that. That certainly could explain things that have been going on of late.”
“How are you feeling, my love?”
“Couldn’t be better now that the morning sickness has passed. Let me tell you that was really weird. Those dizzy spells and nausea would hit out of the blue. I was fine one minute, and racing for the bathroom the next. Thank heavens that all went away three weeks ago. I know His Wisdom said he could fix it, but I wasn’t about to miss something I wanted for most of my life. I want every bit of it: the itchy and swelling boobs, the sore back, having to pee every hour, having this little fellow deciding to do romper room, going through labor – everything. I couldn’t be happier. The fact that we are finally together just makes it that much better.
“We’d better hold off on the sex until later, although it wouldn’t take much to convince me to take you back to bed and ravish you. You are deliberately trying to turn me on, and we have shopping to do. We have to pick up the cake before the bakery closes.” It was Wanda and Tamesha’s wedding anniversary.
Later that afternoon, Anne and Em walked to Wanda and Tamesha’s home. It was one of the nice things about the little community where they lived. Em was carrying the cake in deference to Anne’s pregnancy. There were two cars in the guest slots in front of Wanda and Tamesha’s home. One was a rental car that Tamesha’s parents had picked up when they arrived at Bradley Field the day before. Anne and Em hadn’t met them yet, but they had seen their pictures. It was very obvious that Anita and Jim Jackson loved their daughter and daughter-in-law very much. It had also been obvious that Wanda was estranged from her parents. Wanda never mentioned them, nor did she talk about them.
Tamesha greeted them at the door. She had obviously been crying.
“Is everything okay?” Emily asked.
“Everything is fine. You won’t believe who’s here.”
“Everyone, I would like you to meet our friends from up the street. This beautiful redhead is Marianne Johnson. You might remember her from the Olympics a few years ago, and this cute brunette is Emily Warren, the love of her life. They got married earlier this year, and we’re so glad they’re here.
“Em and Anne, these are our parents, Anita and Ed Jackson, and Diane and Jim Cunningham. I’ll let you figure out who is who.”
“But, I thought …,” Emily spluttered.
“So did we,” Wanda said as she looked at her parents who were holding two of their four grandchildren in their laps. “However, it seems there was a little conspiracy going on behind our backs. My best high school friend, Lily, didn’t spill the beans, but she got my folks to talk to her pastor. She explained quite a bit to them. There was quite a bit more to it than that, actually. They met with the wonderful woman who took care of me and another girl for quite a while. I should probably let Mom and Dad explain.”
The next few hours were some of the most enjoyable the group had ever experienced. The joy expressed by Wanda and Tamesha filled the air. The obvious joy felt by their parents permeated the area. Wanda and Tamesha’s two older children obviously were taken by their two new grandparents. The younger two were just happy about all the attention they were receiving.
It wasn’t really that easy; however, the Cunninghams realized they were missing something in their lives. The LGBTQ community had become stronger and stronger since they’d lost custody of their daughter, and they began to realize that their homophobic attitude was not based on facts, only superstition, bigotry, and malice. Wanda’s mother actually went back to college and took courses on human behavior and sexuality. She and Jim studied her materials after every one of her classes. Then they began to understand, but it was only a beginning.
The breaking point had come when they met with the Chronisters who had fostered and sheltered their daughter for nearly six years. They were shocked to learn that their daughter was married – to another woman; a black woman! They were even more shocked to learn that they had two grandchildren and more on the way. Still, it was very difficult for them to accept the fact their daughter was not only gay, but that she was married to a black woman. It was against so many of the things they had ‘learned’ as they grew up going to their parents’ church. They weren’t really sure how to approach getting reacquainted with their daughter. Anita Jackson took care of that.
Anita and Ed knocked on the Cunninghams’ door on a Sunday afternoon. “May we come in? We’re getting some nasty stares from some of your neighbors,” Anita said to a gaping Diane Cunningham.
“May I ask who you are?”
“Certainly, we are Anita and Ed Jackson. Our daughters are married to each other, and their fifth wedding anniversary is coming up. We thought it might be nice if we could all get together and have a nice time celebrating their happiness.”
The Cunninghams were a bit apprehensive at first; however it didn’t take long for the dam to burst. They knew they had to make amends with their daughter, and there wasn’t going to be any better time. They made airline and hotel reservations, and a week later were flying to Hartford, Connecticut with the Jacksons. The Jacksons were at Tamesha and Wanda’s home when the Cunninghams arrived in their rented car. The tears and hugs lasted quite a while. Two families were united.
As many had suspected, Tamesha carried the witch gene from her mother. She and Wanda would pass the trait along. They saved many ‘unborn’, but they also had children who were totally their daughters. Every daughter carried the witch trait for future generations. Of course, The Wizard made sure of that.
The Cunninghams moved to Hartford six months later. One thing they didn’t understand was how their daughter and daughter in law were having children. Actually, that wasn’t correct. The question was how they were becoming pregnant. All four of their grandchildren were mixed race, and the resemblance to their parents was obvious. Their curiosity was not unwarranted.
“Wanda, I know this is a very personal question, but how are you and Tamesha doing this? I don’t think you are having relationships with men, and you’ve never said anything about going to a fertility clinic. I’m your mother, and I know things about being a parent. You are positively glowing. I think you’re pregnant. I can feel it.”
“You’re right. We just found out yesterday. Actually, we knew two weeks ago, but I just got a positive test yesterday.”
“I don’t think I understand. You haven’t been going to a doctor as far as I know, and suddenly you are pregnant. Who is the father if I may ask?”
“Mom, this is a bit complicated, but I’ll try to explain. Our little girl, yes she’s a girl, is my and Tamesha’s daughter. We planned it that way. We don’t know who the original parents were of our sons, but our girls are just Tamesha’s and mine.”
“This is the craziest thing I’ve ever heard o”
“Mom, do you believe in magic?”
“Well, your father and I have learned quite a bit over these last few years. It hasn’t been easy, but when we met Tamesha we could feel the magic between you two.”
“Mom, that magic hit me like a ton of bricks. As you know, we met at that camp. Lily and I were so bad, but there was something about Tamesha that hit me in a way I never expected. She was so tolerant of our rants. She never reacted negatively. She just smiled at me. It was a penetrating smile. She saw through the façade immediately. Lanu and Marti, they’re witches by the way, had us do a little exercise.”
“Witches?”
“Yes, the real thing. You’ll meet them. They’re not far away. Well, Marti isn’t. Lanu lives in American Samoa. They’re first cousins. We’ll tell you all about them. They are so nice and so cool and so pretty. Anyway, the exercise was designed to see how much we could tell about people through senses other than sight. All the participants were blindfolded, but one. That person was led around to the others. They could touch faces and hand; no hair. When I got to Tamesha, her touch almost set me on fire. I couldn’t help it. I kissed her. When it was her turn to come around, all she did was kiss me. She curled my toes. I knew it was her, and I broke down in tears. I was so damn happy.
“Mom, there’s something else. Do you remember my complexion problems?”
“What are you talking about? Your complexion has always been perfect.”
“Since I can talk about it, it must be okay. There are certain rules when magic is involved.”
“I don’t have a clue what you’re talking about.”
“Mom. I had horrible cystic acne. I had horrible scars all over my body. People called me pizza face. It hurt me deeply. Try to remember.”
“Oh my God, I do remember. I had totally forgotten. That was so long ago. What happened?”
“Lily and I were total bitches when we got to that camp. Marti and Lanu knew something had to be done. Lanu is a healer. She cured my acne and removed the scars in less than five minutes. She adjusted my hormone output, don’t ask me how, and I’ve never had a problem since. She also cured Lily’s chlamydia. I know you’ve heard a different version. The Wizard fixed that.”
“Who is this wizard you talk about?”
“He is a real wizard and he saved Penny Goretsky’s life.”
“Penny?”
“Well, she’s Penny Garrett, now.”
“The golfer? Your father has to watch her every time she plays. I think he’s a bit infatuated with her.”
“She is a wonderful friend. We were there when she won the LPGA Championship for the second time.
“Mom, you have no idea how happy I’ve been since you and Dad showed up. Ginny took care of Penny and me. She was a mother to us, but I never stopped loving you. Penny wasn’t that lucky.
“Just a minute, I need to talk with someone about something.”
Wanda’s mother looked a bit perplexed as Wanda called someone on her cell phone. “Your Wisdom, how far may I go talking to Mom and Dad about Penny?”
“Would it help if I showed up and helped explain things?” The Wizard asked.
“I think that would be great. Why don’t you come directly to the family room instead of showing up at the front door? The area in front of the fireplace is clear.”
“Yes, I can see that. Wolf and Padrona, and the children?”
“Certainly. Give us five minutes.”
Wanda turned to her mother, “Mom, I’m going to get the others. This should be a lot of fun.
“Actually, this is going to be more than fun. This is very important. Please just keep an open mind.”
Wanda and Tamesha had Wanda’s parents sit on the large sofa that faced the fireplace. Unlike many homes, there was no large screen television over the mantle. Little Rhonda and Lanu sat on either side of their grandparents. Two little boys were taking a nap.
“Mommy, Mommy Tammy said The Wizard was coming. He’s so nice. Maybe he’ll bring us surprise like he did the last time he was here.” The surprises were being gently held by the two little girls. They were two adorable little kittens (What kittens aren’t.). The Wizard had rescued them during a previous visit to Istanbul. The Turks like cats, but there are so many semi-feral cats that some have a pretty rough time.
Wanda’s parents are brought into the world of magic. Penny and Keith Garrett help convince them about the reality of magic. The Wizard, Wolf and Padrona don’t hurt the revelations.
Introduction: This story is the fourth and final story in a series within a series. The overall series is the “Cynthia Chronicles”. This story is directly connected to “Simoné and the Second Time Around”, “Marti and the Doppelganger”, and Marti and the Doppelganger – a Follow Up”. Several of the stories in the Cynthia Chronicles left some unanswered questions. In “Bobbie and the Glass Ceiling” two of the antagonists are regressed to childhood. Now we will learn what happened to them. In “Randi and the College Professor” Randi and Frank Deere adopt Betty, a bit of a rogue witch. Betty was regressed to early childhood, but she kept her powers. As it turns out, Betty was a real blessing. We also learn a bit more about Cindy’s first born who is the first new wizard in probably close to a thousand years. Then there is a question that has been floated about. What about death?
ToT
Wanda’s parents learn a bit more about the magic their daughter and daughter-in-law are involved. Everything points to a wonderful outcome. Wanda’s father gets to meet the currently best female golfer in the world. We also meet Aaron, Alice who should be Aaron. His parents will never know what happened. -->
Sometimes a powerful demonstration is all that’s needed to erase any existing doubts about something; sort of like testing the first atomic bomb. Any doubts as to its feasibility were erased near Alamogordo, New Mexico at 5:29 a.m. on July 16, 1945. In this case it was magic that was about to be proven. The Wizard and his entourage appeared with a puff of displaced air. The Wolf and Padrona were a given; however, his two other attendants were a bit of a surprise. They were Keith and Penny Garrett.
“Holy shit!” Jim Cunningham exclaimed.
“Yay, The Wizard’s here,” Rhonda and Lanu exclaimed simultaneously.
“Mom, Dad, this is The Wizard. The proper form of address is “His Wisdom”, but he’ll probably discourage that. That dog that looks like a big wolf is “Wolf”. Padrona is his wife. Their children are not here, so I assume they are off saving the world somewhere.”
“Actually,” The Wizard broke in, “they are getting some training for the Iditarod next year. They thought they would like to give it a try. I’m not sure how that’s going to work out.”
“Thank you, Your Wisdom. That should be very interesting. Now, to get on with the introductions.
“Dad, I’m sure you recognize Penny Garrett, and this is her husband Keith. Penny and the rest of us became very close friends when Tamesha and I went to that wonderful camp. I think Penny will tell some her story to you. I imagine that’s why Keith and Penny are here.”
Penny nodded in agreement. Wanda’s mother gave a gasp as the two little kittens charged Wolf and Padrona. The two very large beasts quietly let the kittens attack. Obviously, there was some form of communications going on among the four.
Tamesha spoke up after some of the excitement had returned to a more manageable level. “We have refreshments for everyone.” Then she turned to Penny.
“Penny, I know you were playing today. How’d it go?”
“We’re doing fine. I think we have a good chance to finish in the top five, but my putting really sucks. Bobbie said she’d work with me; no magic, though. That was our understanding from day one. She never used magic, and I don’t expect anyone to use magic to help me. I had to explain that to our daughter. One does not use magic to create an advantage in sports.
“Mr. Cunningham, I know a lot about you, and it’s so nice to see you here. Many years ago, your daughter helped save my life. I was going to end it all by jumping off a bit of a promontory. It probably wouldn’t have done the deed, and I would have been really messed up at the minimum. You wouldn’t believe how much help your daughter and daughter-in-law were for me. I was about at the end of my rope.”
“Why on earth would you want to kill yourself?” Jim Cunningham replied. “You are such a talented woman.”
“Well first of all, at that time I was a very unhappy Peter Goretsky. My parents would never become the understanding parents you have become. At Marti Lewis’s request, His Wisdom,” she said nodding to The Wizard, “came and made a few genetic corrections. From that point on, I was Penny Goretsky. Well I was until I married Keith. My parents could never accept that I would not join their bigoted church. We parted permanently a few years ago. They could not accept Wanda and Tamesha, and I wanted nothing to do with them.”
“Oh my God,” Diane Cunningham exclaimed, “you’re the Goretsky’s daughter. I remember when you disappeared. There was some talk that they’d lost parental rights, just as we did.
“I don’t think I understand, though. I don’t recall them having a son.”
“Think about it for a moment. I said I was Peter Goretsky.”
“You mean you are one of those … uh …?”
“Mom,” Wanda interjected, “just listen. It will all be explained.”
“That’s okay, Wanda. Remember, you and Tammie were there,” Penny said while turning to Wanda’s mother.
“Mrs. Cunningham, this is one of the reasons I’m here. Yes, I was a boy; a very unhappy boy. You are very fortunate. Your daughter loves both of you very much. She always has. My parents destroyed any love I might have had for them. I gave them a chance a few years ago, but they blew it. Yes, I was a boy, but inside where it counts I was a girl. His Wisdom fixed it that day 10 years ago. I am mentally and physically a woman. My little boy and girl are Keith’s and mine. Thanks to his Wisdom and Keith, I have everything I could have ever hoped for, and more.
“Yes, there is magic, but this magic is not evil or ungodly. Sometimes, there are little hiccups in the process of biology. Those are intended. Evolution cannot continue without them; however, some of those hiccups are dead ends, destructive. His Wisdom fixes those if he can; if he knows about them. I am so fortunate that he found out about me, and corrected nature’s mistake.
“Lanu fixed Wanda’s complexion problem. Lanu and Marti helped Wanda and Tammie find each other. They didn’t change a thing other than help Wanda find her true love, and realize she needed help. Lanu cured Lilly’s STD and helped her family stay together, and eventually bring you and Wanda back together. Some magic is the physical kind, and some magic is the magic of the heart. You are so fortunate to have Wanda and Tammie’s love, and the love of your grandchildren. I am so fortunate to have the love of my husband, his family, the Chronisters, and this group, many of whom you’ve met. I am not privileged to tell you everything at this time, but you will find out quite a bit more about this little community as time goes by. You are blessed in so many ways.
“Now Keith and I have to go. Bobbie is waiting to give me some putting pointers. Putting always has been my weakness.
“Mr. Cunningham, here is a little gift for you. This is a five-day pass to the Hartford Open next year. It’s good for however many you want to bring; however, please use constraint. And here’s an autographed glove. I promise not to hit you in the gallery with my drive.
With that, Penny and Keith disappeared accompanied with the sound of a minor implosion.
“If I hadn’t seen it, I wouldn’t have believed it,” Jim said. “I guess I have a lot to learn about the world. This is so much against everything we were taught.”
“You have to remember, Jim,” The Wizard said, “many of the things we are taught come from misunderstandings of what God intended us to do. Man is only beginning to understand how this universe works.”
“Bobbie, how are things going with the Zumwalt case?”
“About as you expected,” Bobbie responded. “We could take the easy way and just change Aaron along with changing history a bit so he was always a genetic male. However, that doesn’t change the basic problem. His parents are having serious problems with accepting his true gender.”
“I wish it were as easy as some of those poorly written stories are. This is a person’s life at stake.”
Their conversation was interrupted by Cindy’s cell phone playing The Sorcerer’s Apprentice. That was The Wizard’s identifying ring.
“You and Bobbie need to get to the hospital. Aaron Zumwalt attempted suicide. He’ll be fine. Regardless of what his parents want, I’ve already fixed the problem. I’m not going to “mess with their minds” as several of you say, unless I have to. I want you to talk to them and try to make them understand. I know you’ve tried before, but they’re going to have to face reality. It’s not about them. It’s their child’s life.”
They arrived to find Mr. and Mrs. Zumwalt, and Aaron’s older sister in the waiting room. All had obviously been crying; however, Aaron’s sister was berating her parents.
“Why won’t you listen to us? We’ve both been trying to tell you for years that Aaron was a boy.”
“I wish you would stop calling her that,” her mother exclaimed. “She’s Alice and always has been and always will be.”
“Mom, you and dad just don’t get. Why would Aaron try to kill himself?”
“It’s those goddamn games she plays on her computer,” her father responded. “They’ve twisted her brain with all that imaginary crap.”
“Those games are the one time he can be himself. He’s made a lot of friends there. They really are a good bunch, and there’s not one atheist or agnostic among them. Only one player knows the truth about Aaron. She’s a wonderful girl and she loves him.”
“That’s all we need; another lesbian.”
“Dad, that’s uncalled for. Besides, I am not a lesbian. I’m just waiting for the right person.
“Dr. Lewis, Dr. Anderson, I didn’t realize you were here.”
“We just got here,” Bobbie replied. “Dr. Betancourt called us a few minutes ago saying that your brother tried to kill himself.”
“She is not her brother,” Adam Zumwalt shouted.
“Oh, but he is,” The Wizard said. He was wearing the usual green scrubs he wore in situations like this.
“Mr. and Mrs. Zumwalt, your son is doing fine. The attack of appendicitis was quite painful, and he passed out. Fortunately, he was close by, and we were able to take care of things immediately. He’s come out of the anesthesia, we removed the appendix laparoscoply, and he’s fine. Aaron is a fine lad. He should be able to go home in a few hours.
“You should go in and see him. He’s expecting you.”
“Leslie, give your parents some time alone with him. We need to talk.”
Leslie was getting very confused. Who was this old doctor?
“Your brother is going to be fine. I removed the pills and the narcotics from his system. I did scold him, but he was pretty desperate. He is truly your brother. I fixed that, but I haven’t done anything to his mind, nor yours, for that matter.
“I’m sorry to say your parents are a different matter. Their mindset would never allow them to accept Aaron as he truly is. They, your family and friends will only remember Aaron as a fine young man who will be an adult in not too many years.”
“This is crazy,” Leslie almost shouted. “What the hell is going on?”
“Leslie,” Cindy interjected, “calm down. We will explain everything.
“You’ll be able to spend some time alone with Aaron in a little while. We had hoped your parents would accept the magic; however, that was not the case. We tried. We really did, but your parents could not accept Aaron’s condition. You have to understand that any transperson who comes to our clinic will get what they wish, or more appropriately, what they need. Aaron would never leave our care without being Aaron.
“Dr. Anderson and I are witches. We have experienced what it is like to be in a wrongly sexed body. We know exactly what Aaron has been going through. Believe us, it is not pleasant, and I think you know that from witnessing what your brother has been going through. Dr. Betancourt is a wizard, and he does most of the transformations when they are needed. Dr. Anderson and I could perform a transition if necessary, but we leave that to him and a couple of other individuals. Dr. Betancourt retains the authority. My son is also a Wizard; however he is far too young to be practicing any serious magic.
Bobbie thought she needed to spell Cindy: so she broke in. “Over the years you, your brother, his wife, yes she will know what happened, will be able to detect people with similar problems. All we ask is that you refer them to us. All three of you are highly qualified to help anyone in a similar situation. We want and need your help to find those who need our help.
“Your parents will come out of your brother’s room in a few minutes and go home. They will never know what happened other than he had an attack of appendicitis. You need to spend time with Aaron. In spite of His Wisdom’s assurances, Aaron should spend the night. He should be able to go home tomorrow afternoon.”
Aaron’s parents returned from his room and said their goodbyes. They knew Cindy and Bobbie, but were not sure why. They would gradually lose that part of their memory. Most of the world would never know what Aaron had gone through.
“Aaron, are you okay?” Leslie asked has she approached his bed.
“Leslie, I am a very lucky guy. I did something very stupid. Fortunately, we knew the right people; people who care very much. Am I okay? I am more than okay. I am me.”
Leslie looked at her brother. The remnants of femininity were gone. He was a young man well onto his way through puberty.
“Does Sherri know?”
He never had a chance to reply.
A cute and just a little plump redhead crashed through the door. “You fool, you damn fool. What do you mean trying to kill yourself? I should beat you to within an inch of your life. I’ve told you time and again it doesn’t matter what your sex is. I know you’re a man and that’s all that matters. We can take care of things later on.
“How dare you try to destroy my best friend?”
“Take it easy, Sherri,” Leslie said while giving the little redhead a gentle hug. “Take a deep breath. Everything has been taken care of.”
Sherri looked at the boy/man she loved with all her heart. They may have been only fourteen; however, they were destined to be together for the rest of their lives, and their lives would be long. “Oh my God! I see it and I have to believe it. He does exist. That was him in the other room, wasn’t it?”
“I’m sure he’ll be there when you go back. The three of us, The Wizard, and his friends, who happen to be witches are the only ones who know what happened. There will be others, but they are all magic.
“His mom and dad would never be able to accept the change. So they’re just going to believe that Aaron always has been a physical male.”
Aaron and Sherri married shortly after graduating college. They had been living together since they were freshmen. To say they were happy was an understatement. Sherri had always carried the magic gene; as had Aaron. Their three daughters would be magic, and their son would pass the trait on. Aaron’s parents would never be aware of their granddaughters’ special talents. Their granddaughters knew why.
This now brings us back to the beginning. What happened to Martin and Joann? What happened to Betty and Marvin? Cindy is a witch and a powerful witch, but she isn’t perfect. Her husband might argue about that; however, The Wizard always seems to have something up his sleeve.
Introduction: This story is the fourth and final story in a series within a series. The overall series is the “Cynthia Chronicles”. This story is directly connected to “Simoné and the Second Time Around”, “Marti and the Doppelganger”, and Marti and the Doppelganger – a Follow Up”. Several of the stories in the Cynthia Chronicles left some unanswered questions. In “Bobbie and the Glass Ceiling” two of the antagonists are regressed to childhood. Now we will learn what happened to them. In “Randi and the College Professor” Randi and Frank Deere adopt Betty, a bit of a rogue witch. Betty was regressed to early childhood, but she kept her powers. As it turns out, Betty was a real blessing. We also learn a bit more about Cindy’s first born who is the first new wizard in probably close to a thousand years. Then there is a question that has been floated about. What about death?
Cynthia and Don had taken on the responsibility of raising Martin and Joann along with their first born. It wasn’t that easy, nor was it that difficult. Martin and Joann were wonderful children. They got along well with everyone; however, they soon learn of their origins. This might prove to be difficult. -->
The primary purpose of the psychiatric clinic in Bridgeport was not, as some readers may think, to physically change any transgendered client so their sex matched their gender. First and foremost, they operated a clinic where doctors would try to help their clients attain good mental health. It wasn’t always easy. Often, there wasn’t a cure for what ailed someone, only continuous treatment.
Some might ask why magic wasn’t used to ‘cure’ the mentally ill. Magic was not something to be just thrown around and used willy-nilly. It took energy. Those who had the ability to use magic had to learn that. Even The Wizard had learned that. There were times that the best solution to a problem was the simplest one. Changing reality, even at the local level was very ‘expensive’. There were times it was absolutely necessary. Those in the know realized a tremendous amount of energy had been expended to ‘correct’ the Donna/Don situation. Since then The Wizard and witches did their best to keep universe alteration to a minimum. Still there were times when fairly drastic measures were necessary.
Saving someone’s life was always paramount. Some families were very supportive of their transgender children. They desired counselling to help them understand their child as well as help their child understand herself or herself. These were the situations that went very well. The parents never received a bill for the counseling and transformations.
Cindy and Bobbie, excuse me, Drs. Brewer and Anderson had a distinct advantage when it came to the transgender, or any of their clients for that matter. They could read minds. Cindy had explained to Tommie Donizetti several years before that the Hippocratic Oath prevented her from going beyond the surface. She also explained that sensing gender misalignment was something quite different than reading someone’s personal thoughts. Cindy and Bobbie usually knew very early in the first session if a child was truly transgender. The other sessions were just to acquire and confirm details. A mentioned before, Cindy and Bobbie never performed a transition. They left that to Dr. Aloysius Bettencourt, aka, The Wizard.
Cases varied considerably, and they always would. In reality, dealing with the transgender was less than five percent of the cases they were involved in. That was considerably higher than the statistical average; however, there were many ‘out there’ who knew exactly where to send someone who needed their special help.
Mental health was not simple. In reality, dealing with the transgender was probably the easiest thing they had to deal with. That was the one situation they were best equipped to deal with. However, in their favor, they were eminently qualified to deal with other psychological problems besides transgender issues.
One of the disparities between the magic world and the non-magic world was aging, and the effects of aging. Someone carrying the magic gene was ensured of an extended life if he or she was closely associated with someone who practiced magic. Those that could practice magic, barring a catastrophic event, might live seven, eight hundred years or more. Wizards historically, routinely lived a thousand years or more. Some wizards voluntarily moved into the spirit world when their life on earth was no longer of interest to them. Sorcerers and sorceresses were thought to have similar life spans; however, there were no recent examples in this universe to draw on.
What did this mean to the families that had shared so much over the last thirty years or so? All of the Lewis’s and Schmedlaps carried the magic gene, either a pair or a single recessive. All of Cindy and Don’s children carried at least one or more of the magic genes, as did Andy and Bobbie’s children. Andy did not carry the magic gene; however, his longevity would be considerable.
Unusual longevity is sure to bring attention to one. How do the long lived divert attention from themselves? First of all, they have to ‘die’.
For instance, Stan and Marissa Lewis are now nearly 70. Marissa is still fertile, as is Sally Schmedlap who is a bit older. They might want more children someday. The magic world is getting good at this. They create new lives, new identifications, and new careers. The ties are still strong among the families, but new ties have to be created. They create new realities for the ‘magic’ without changing the universe’s reality. There is a group of witches whose entire job is creating new lives at the appropriate time. Thank heavens for computers.
One of the difficult things to handle is where the magic and non-magic are closely related. It has to be difficult when you know you can look forward to maybe several centuries of a productive life, and someone close to your ages before your eyes and dies while you are still a picture of health and youth.
Bob and Hilda Brewer fell into that category. The magic world could do a lot to make sure they lived well, but eventually; something would have to be done. They might be able to have a choice as to what happened. Andy Anderson was another, who because of his close association with Bobbie and the magic world might have an inside track to his future.
As Myrna’s work in gene identification progressed, more and more carriers were identified. The magic world did everything possible to get the magic and the magic carriers together, but as The Wizard said, the love had to be genuine. If a witch fell in love with a non-magic person, so be it. Love was stronger than magic. Some would say love was magic.
Bobbie knew that she would far outlive Andy. Andy would probably have a long life, but he would be old and infirm, while Bobbie without her cosmetic disguises would appear to be in her thirties. Andy had been aware of what would eventually happen for a long time. One evening after their as usual passionate love making, Bobbie could sense Andy was being a bit introspective.
“A penny for your thoughts.”
“Do you think The Wizard could put in a good word for me? I know we will have many more years together, but some day this body is going to quit. I was just wondering if they could do for me what they did for Cindy and Randi. I think I would like to try it from your perspective, you know, come back as a grandniece. I think that would be a lot of fun. Then I could come to you, and you could teach me all about how to be a good witch. I would love to be able to come back and live with this group.”
Bobbie could sense Andy was serious. The mortality issue had come up before. It was difficult for everyone. “I’ll put in a good word for you,” she answered. She meant it, and she did just that. Bobbie felt there was a good chance her request would be seriously considered.
They really were one big happy family, but things began to happen when the twins and the young Donald and Cynthia were in their eleventh year. Cindy and Bobbie knew that someday the twins would probably begin to remember their past. What sort of reaction would Joann have when she realized that her Aunt Bobbie had humiliated her on the golf course in one of the most historical moments in the history of modern golf? How would Martin react when he remembered that he had been a woman, and a witch? Had his gender been changed along with his sex? How would the once very macho, anti-feminist Jim Campion react when he discovered that he was a girl, fast becoming a very beautiful young woman?
They knew there were going to be problems, but once again The Wizard seemed to be playing hands off. He hadn’t helped Cindy through girlhood and womanhood, and apparently, he wasn’t going to help her be a mother either.
In addition to the twins, Cindy had Donald, Sydney, Gerald (not a Wizard), and baby Amelia. Cindy was sure she would have at least one more baby, and her hope was that she would have a boy, and he would be a wizard.
Bobbie hadn’t been quite as proficient in producing children. She had paused a bit while she was working on her doctorate in psychology. Still, she had three children: Cynthia, Jimmy, and Eliza. She and Andy were also expecting their second son.
Things were going well, but the potential problems with Martin and Joann were lurking out there, somewhere.
Hind sight is 20/20. Maybe they should have realized everything was coming unraveled. There were plenty of hints. Joann’s physical maturation was progressing well, as was Martin’s. Joann seemed to be anticipating her teenage years with unusual eagerness. Martin seemed to be heading in the opposite direction. He became more and more reclusive, spending hours on his computer while being sequestered in his room.
Donald and Cynthia were another matter. They were eagerly attending to their lessons both in the regular school world, as well as the magic world. Donald’s powers at this time were unusual only in the fact that he could perform magic. He was the only male performer of magic known, other than The Wizard.
One of the major tasks of any witch was teaching her daughter, if she was a witch, about the great responsibility she had. It has been said many times, “Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Misuse of magic, as the misuse of power, could lead to terrible results. A despot could be taken care of through revolution, insurrection, and any number of other social methods. It could lead to war and other terrible events. The trouble with the misuse of magic was that, if known, it could reflect back on the entire magic world, regardless of the innocence of the others. Take for instance what has happened in some universes where all magic has been eliminated through overt acts such as hangings and burnings at the stake.
They should have known.
“Mom, we need to talk.”
“Sure, Donald, what’s on your mind?” Cindy asked.
“They know.”
“Who knows?”
“Martin and Joann; they started remembering a while ago.”
“Ohmygod, what are they remembering?”
“All of it: the golf, the transformations, everything.”
“Obviously, you know, too. How long have you known?”
“I think Cynthia and I knew it about the same time. It’s been a couple of years. I think we knew it before they did.”
Cindy looked at her first born. He looked so much like his father. His hair was lighter, but his eyes were the same dark brown with gold flecks. He was starting to sprout, and if the indications held true, he would probably be taller than his father, and quite a bit heavier. At twelve years old he was also showing considerable athletic prowess.
“I’ve seen Aunt Bobbie’s museum many times. She never talks about defeating Jim Campion in the Masters, but I always sensed something in what was not being said. I was doing some research for magic class and found an article about Jim Campion, his sister, and his caddy being killed in an aircraft accident in Indonesia a week after that tournament.
“Something didn’t seem right. Jim and Margot’s parents were deceased, but that didn’t seem to have any bearing on the current situation. The big question was who was Jimmy Baldwin? I couldn’t find anything about him. Then, going through the witch data base, I found out Margot Campion was a witch. The funny thing was she was not listed as deceased. She was still alive, but access to the data was restricted. That is very unusual. There are many other unusual things too.
“There are some strange things about you, Aunt Bobbie, Aunt Randi, and Aunt Charli. There’s a point, though, where the data is restricted.”
“Donald, you are wise beyond your years, and I think it’s time, no, I know it’s time that we told you some wonderful things about us.”
“I think I know, and I think it’s neat. But I will let you tell Cynthia and me anyway.
“Did you know that Martin’s not a boy? She may think she is, but she’s a girl. She looks like a boy, and she has what look like boy’s bits. But inside Martin’s a girl.”
“How do you know this?” his mother asked. “Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve always known when somebody was in the wrong body. I have never detected anything about Martin that would indicate there was a conflict. Apparently, you know a lot more than your Aunt Bobbie and me than I ever realized. Why didn’t I know about Margot? Wait a minute, what about Joann?”
“Joann knows everything. She has always been a girl. That’s why Jim Campion was such a jerk. He was awful jealous of Aunt Bobbie. She was the best golfer in the world, and she was so beautiful. She still is.”
“What, the best golfer in the world?”
“No, beautiful”
“Aren’t you a bit young to be talking like this?”
“Probably; but, I think you need to know about Cynthia and me. We are going to be together for the rest of our lives. We are bound together by love and magic. It will be ten years before we are married.”
“Oh, my, you sound very positive about that.”
“I am; however, we need to talk about Martin and Joann. As I said before, they know what happened. Joann is not the problem. The problem is Martin.”
“I feel strange asking you for advice. After all, you are my twelve year old son. So what am I supposed to do?”
“That’s not for me to decide. His Wisdom told me to say that you are to make all the decisions. It’s up to you.”
Cindy contemplated the ramifications of the situation. Over the years, she and Bobbie had ‘rescued’ a number of boy and girls, men and women who were in the wrong bodies. Bobbie had been her first. They knew about Randy right away, but Randi couldn’t be saved through the ‘normal’ transformations. When they became professional psychiatrists/psychologists, the numbers increased.
There were quite a few cases of gender confused children and adults who were not truly transgendered. They might be cross dressers. They might be gay, lesbian or bisexual. Their counseling and therapy helped these individuals find comfort rather than conflict. In the cases where families and spouses were involved, they helped the other family members find acceptance. The last thing they wanted to do was ‘cure’ someone whose orientation was ‘hardwired’ into their psyche.
Cindy had an unerring faith in her ability to determine when someone was transgendered. She had never been wrong. What she was beginning to realize was that she might miss some of the transgendered that were out there by using just her magic detection ability. There were some that would have to seek out counseling before she could do anything for them. Sometimes, only the more conventional methods would work. Sometimes she had to fall back on her professional training.
This was going to be one of those times.
Joann and Martin have been aware for years what happened to them. Joann is perfectly happy, but Martin feels he got the short end of the deal. Don’t worry, The Wizard will come to the rescue.
Introduction: This story is the fourth and final story in a series within a series. The overall series is the “Cynthia Chronicles”. This story is directly connected to “Simoné and the Second Time Around”, “Marti and the Doppelganger”, and Marti and the Doppelganger – a Follow Up”. Several of the stories in the Cynthia Chronicles left some unanswered questions. In “Bobbie and the Glass Ceiling” two of the antagonists are regressed to childhood. Now we will learn what happened to them. In “Randi and the College Professor” Randi and Frank Deere adopt Betty, a bit of a rogue witch. Betty was regressed to early childhood, but she kept her powers. As it turns out, Betty was a real blessing. We also learn a bit more about Cindy’s first born who is the first new wizard in probably close to a thousand years. Then there is a question that has been floated about. What about death?
Cindy finally realizes that things with Martin and Joann are not quite what she thought they were. She knew something was bothering Martin. Now I all comes out.
“Martin, I need your help upstairs. Could you give me about 30 minutes?”
Martin turned to see his mother at the entry of the media room. They were watching a recent release of a popular movie. Martin didn’t really like it that much. There was too much destruction and mayhem for his taste. “Sure, Mom, I’ll be right there.”
He arrived upstairs to find his mother sitting on the edge of the bed. She was patting a place next to her.
“What do you need help with?”
“I need help being a better mother. Let’s talk about it. Sit next to me,” she said, again indicating the spot on the bed.
Martin sat and looked up at his mother. He could see tears in her eyes. Something was very wrong.
“Have we been bad parents? Have we ever done anything but love you and your brothers and sisters? I know we aren’t your and Joann’s real parents, but we’ve tried to be fair. It was a bit tough going from having no children, to having one, and suddenly having three. I thought we did a pretty good job.”
“Mom, you’ve been great. When Gramma and Grandpa couldn’t take care of us, we were so lucky that you and dad were there. Donald has been a cool brother, and Sydney has been a great sister. We were very lucky.”
“You’ve been awful quiet of late, and retreating a lot to your bedroom. Is there something wrong? Is there something you would like to talk about?”
“Er, like what?”
“How long have you known about where you came from, about what happened?”
“You mean about before, what we did to Aunt Bobbie and the others?”
Cindy nodded.
“We’ve known for a long time. We were very wrong about what we did, especially me. All of you were very kind to us. I imagine His Wisdom and the rest could have come down much harder on us than they did. I do wonder sometimes why they did to me what they did. I probably deserved to have my magic taken away, but being a boy sucks. I never wanted to be a boy before. It was just a disguise, a pretty good one, at that.
“I think the irony of the whole thing is that Joann got exactly what she wanted. As far back as I could remember I had known that Jim was a girl inside. When I discovered I had magic powers, I tried to help her, but I didn’t know how. Our childhood was not very good, and we ran away when we were 18. We lived together as sisters, but it was difficult for him to appear to be female.
“He was a pretty good golfer in high school, and he started hustling golfers at the municipal courses. I was able to get us new identifications. We moved around a lot. I learned how to change our appearances so that we wouldn’t be identified as the same hustlers that ripped off players at a previous course. Then a guy said Jim should go pro. He backed Jim, and Jim made it through the Nationwide Tour and Q school. Suddenly, we were making good money. One of our goals had been to get enough money so that we could retire. Jim would get his SRS, some facial surgery and we would live as sisters.
“Then we got greedy. I had discovered that I had levitation powers. Jim had not been winning on the tour, and hadn’t really been very close. He could make the cut, collect a modest check, and move on to the next tournament. We realized that just a stroke here and there could make a huge difference, and boy did it.
“I became Jimmy Baldwin, and the rest, as they say, was history. That’s when I found out Aunt Bobbie was a witch. I was in my ‘Margot’ mode. We were in a restroom at a club, and they were out of towels. She didn’t realize I was there, and she dried her hands. I felt the magic. That explained everything about why she was so good. She cheated, just like we were cheating. We couldn’t afford to be discovered, so we tried to scare her off the tour. As you know, we didn’t think things out very well. We had no idea what we were up against.”
“Wow, I wish you had told us some of this before. Something bothers me, and that is why I never realized what you were going through. Your Aunt Bobbie and I have the ability to sense when there is a conflict between someone’s sex and gender. We have never felt anything like that from you, nor did we sense anything about your sister. We weren’t really sure when it might happen, but we always felt the gender vs. sex thing might surface.
“His Wisdom has done many transformations over the years where he changed someone’s gender as well as sex; however, your transformations were supposed to be punishment. Now it appears as if you got the worst end of the deal, and I am beginning to think that your punishment has gone far enough.”
Cindy was trying to think about how to approach The Wizard about making some corrections. She was startled out of her thoughts by a knock on the bedroom door. It was Joann. “Mom, His Wisdom is downstairs and he wants to know if he may come up to talk to Martin, and you and me.”
‘That was certainly well timed’, Cindy thought. “Send him up.”
“Mom, I hate being a boy. It hasn’t been too bad up to this point, but if I could do anything to convince His Wisdom to change things, I would do it. I’m going to start changing real soon, and I am scared I might end up looking like Jim did before.”
“You won’t have to worry about that, Margot.” They turned to see the Wizard at the bedroom door. “I think we can fix things, pretty quickly.
“The two of you have learned a lot, haven’t you?
“I was thinking about letting this run out a bit further, but I don’t think it’s necessary any longer. So, what do we do with you? Joann, you may go first.”
“Please, don’t change me back. I couldn’t go back to being him.
“But if I did change you back, you could become a great golfer. You could be one of the best.”
“I don’t want to be a golfer. I want to be a school teacher like Betty does. I don’t hate golf, but I abused the sport. I don’t deserve to be able to play like that.” She looked up to see her Aunt Bobbie come into the room and quietly sit.
“Aunt Bobbie, Margot and I did a terrible thing. You should have won that other Masters. We saw your shot was going to be short, but had a chance to stay in the fringe. I told Margot to push it.” Joann started to cry.
“Let’s not have any more tears,” The Wizard said. “I went back and reviewed that shot when I realized that you might have influenced it. It would not have stayed on the green, regardless. Many years ago, before I ever paid any attention to golf, I looked into Bobbie’s future. It didn’t matter what she did, the ball was going to end up in Rae’s Creek. The other thing I saw was that she was going to win two years later. I wasn’t aware then what you two girls had been up to.”
“Your Wisdom, you keep calling us girls. I’m a girl, and I know Martin’s a girl inside, but Martin’s still a boy.”
“No Martin, rather Margot, is a girl and always has been. I must say that was one of my best disguises. I learned it from Old Mombi. That’s a great spell.
“Cindy, call Myrna and put her on the speaker.”
It took only a few seconds to make the call. “Myrna, His Wisdom is here, and we are talking to Margot and Joann about the past. You’re on the speaker.”
“Oh goody, does that mean it’s time to spill the beans?”
“It does, Myrna,” The Wizard chuckled.
“Everyone, Margot is XwXw. She has always been a girl and witch.
“So, Your Wisdom, you’re going to fix things?”
“Momentarily.”
“Well, I wish I could be there to see her at the reveal. Send me a picture. Maybe we can get over there next week. Hug Margot and Joann, and the rest for us. She is going to be so pretty. I’ve got to go. Avery’s grandmother is coming over and we are cooking kosher this week. We’ve a lot of work to do. Mazal tov.
“Ohmygod,” Cindy said to no one in particular, “I feel so stupid. That’s what Donald was telling me, and I just wasn’t paying attention.” She turned to The Wizard.
“I am such an idiot. You and Donald both said it. Of course, there’s no conflict. Martin is still Margot. Physiologically and psychologically, she’s a girl. She’s not transgendered. She just appears to be a boy superficially. That has been her punishment.
“You just disabled her magic to reinforce the illusion.”
“Very good, Cindy. We didn’t want Margot to really lose her magic. We just wanted her to learn what a great responsibility she had.
“Okay, where were we. Oh yes, Margot. Margot, you need to sit down. This might be a bit unsettling, but it won’t take any time at all. Half of this stuff is illusion, anyway.”
Margot sat on the bed next to her mother. Cindy kissed her and pulled her to her. The changes were subtle, but noticeable. Her facial features became a bit finer, her skull narrowed a bit, and her brow ridge, what little there was, disappeared. Then her shoulders narrowed, and at the same time her hips broadened just a little. There was just a hint of the breasts she would have in a few years. She had become a very pretty girl, soon to be a woman, who looked a lot like her sister. She was a bit taller, and always would be.
Suddenly, her eyes widened, and she gave a little gasp. Her hand tracked to the juncture of her thighs and a smile spread across her face. “It’s gone. All that stuff’s gone. I’m a girl, again.”
“… and, a very pretty one at that,” her mother replied. “We need to do something about your hair. What sort of style would you like?”
“Joann, get that magazine we were looking at yesterday. Remember the soccer player who was modeling those outfits?”
“Yeah, I’ll get it.”
Joann returned very quickly with the magazine. Margot showed the picture to her mother. “That’s what I want. Joann and I were talking about it yesterday.” The style was short, but very appropriate for the athletic model. It was very feminine.
“Well it might be a bit adult, but I think with a few adjustments it might look very nice on you. What do you think, Your Wisdom?”
“I think that’s the one.”
As a boy, her hair had been a bit long. She had already been starting to make a statement. Now it quickly became a bit longer. Cindy made a few comments, and The Wizard made the adjustments. As far as Cindy was concerned, it was perfect. Margot agreed.
Of course, all of her clothing had changed, too. Everything fitted perfectly.
“I think it’s time for the reveal,” Cindy said as she looked her daughter over.
Donald turned to see his new sister and mother followed by the others. He paused the movie.
“Children, it’s time for you to meet Margot.”
They turned, and looked at the finally revealed girl. They started cheering in unison, before rushing to her for a group embrace. Sometimes children are far more aware of the situations than their parents give them credit for. They had known for a long time.
Time flies when you’re having fun. Young Donald Brewer, a wizard in training, and Cynthia Anderson are celebrating their 14th birthdays. It is a major celebration, and it’s a great time for all involved. There has never been much made of it; however, Donald and Cynthia were born at the same time as the Blue Moon rose on Hallowe’en. There’s probably some significance to this, but then again, maybe there isn’t.
Introduction: This story is the fourth and final story in a series within a series. The overall series is the “Cynthia Chronicles”. This story is directly connected to “Simoné and the Second Time Around”, “Marti and the Doppelganger”, and Marti and the Doppelganger – a Follow Up”. Several of the stories in the Cynthia Chronicles left some unanswered questions. In “Bobbie and the Glass Ceiling” two of the antagonists are regressed to childhood. Now we will learn what happened to them. In “Randi and the College Professor” Randi and Frank Deere adopt Betty, a bit of a rogue witch. Betty was regressed to early childhood, but she kept her powers. As it turns out, Betty was a real blessing. We also learn a bit more about Cindy’s first born who is the first new wizard in probably close to a thousand years. Then there is a question that has been floated about. What about death?
Margot, Joann, and Betty couldn’t be happier. They have wonderful families and they have no doubts. Bobbie and Cindy couldn’t be happier. They are happily married, have wonderful families, and are helping the transgender reach their goals without trauma. However, there are lingering questions that will never go away. -->
Well, three more years have passed since Margot’s ‘situation’ had been corrected. Her magic had quickly returned, and this time she was getting the instruction she had missed out on before. Joann knew she couldn’t be magic, but she knew if she married someone who carried the magic trait, that she had a fifty percent chance her daughters might be witches. That was enough for her. She was just very grateful that things had turned out so well. She and Margot were very, very lucky girls.
Thirteen years had passed since Bobbie’s victory in the British open, and much had happened. The families had spread out a bit, but there were times when they would get together. This was one of them.
“Bobbie, it just keeps getting better and better, doesn’t it?”
“I would certainly have to agree with that. We have been truly blessed,” Bobbie acknowledged.
“Mom, where do you want us to put these dishes?”
Cindy turned to see her twin daughters, Margot and Joann, each with a load of dishes. Well, they hadn’t always been her daughters as we know.
“Just put them on the counter by the sink. We’ll rinse them off, and get the first load washing in the dishwasher. Are they ready for ice cream and cake?”
“Just about, Uncle Andy is giving some lessons in the indoor range,” Joann responded. “Jimmy is getting real good. He hits the ball real well for a ten year old.
“There’re more dishes. We’ll get them for you.” The two fourteen-year olds headed back to the dining room. They were obviously sisters, but most who saw them would not realize they were fraternal twins. Joann was already showing more than hints of the well-endowed, but very attractive figure she would have as an adult. Margot, on the other hand was willowier. She was taller than Joann, and not nearly as well developed. She was what would be called hoydenish; however, she was all girl as was her sister. Margot’s figure would eventually catch up quite a bit.
“They really are very happy, aren’t they? Who would have believed it?” Bobbie said as she and Cindy watched the two. “Andy offered to give them golf lessons the other day. They said they would love to have some, but not right now, as there were some other things they wanted to do. I’m glad they are going to get involved with First Tee, though. I think ‘other things’ are spelled b-o-y-s.
“You’ve had the talk with them?”
“A long time ago,” Cindy replied. They already know how to prevent ovulation, at least Margot does. I taught her that little trick about the same time you taught Cynthia. Joann is a bit tougher because she can’t do the magic like her sister can. I thought she might be upset when she learned she couldn’t do magic, but she really seems to be okay with it. She said when she starts dating, I can turn off the egg production for her. Her experience with her first period was certainly better than mine. She insisted on a menarche party, as you know.”
It had been a beautiful fall day, and Halloween was only a few days off. The families were celebrating Donald Brewer and Cynthia Anderson’s fourteenth birthdays. The two teenagers had had a friendly argument over the years as to who was the oldest. No one really knew for sure. The records showed they were born on October 31st at 6:08PM. No one had been keeping a stopwatch on their birthing process, so for record’s sake, they were born at the same time. They were also born under a rising full moon, the second one of the month.
“You guys need any help?”
They turned to see Randi and her oldest daughter, seventeen-year-old Betty. Marvin was in his ever-present place on Betty’s shoulder. Twelve-year-old Linda was right behind them.
Betty Deere had kept her head of naturally curly locks that she had had since she was a little girl. Her dark brown eyes sparkled and a genuine smile seemed always to be present. She loved children, and had already made up her mind that she would be an elementary school teacher like her grandmother. She also had a steady boyfriend. At five feet, five inches, she was a bit shorter than she had been in her previous life. Some might consider her a bit plump, but she wasn’t really. Her frame was just a bit stocky. She was still a virgin, and her boyfriend was willing to wait. They had met by accident, but found out early in their relationship that he was a carrier of the witch trait.
Betty didn’t need to experiment with sex. She had done plenty in her previous life. She remembered the good things about a sexual relationship, and losing it just didn’t have much of a priority at the moment. She felt that after her eighteenth birthday would be soon enough.
Linda Deere was as quiet as her mother was outgoing and adventuresome. She was, however, very, very powerful, maybe even more so than her mother and grandmother.
“We will need help passing out the ice cream and cake in a few minutes.
“Has His Wisdom returned yet?”
“Not yet,” Linda said, checking her watch. “He said he would be back at 4:00. There’re a few minutes to go, still.”
The Wizard, with Donald as an assistant, had taken a group of the five to ten-year olds to the La Brea Tar Pits. The thing was, they were going back in time to the Pleistocene, the time of saber tooth tigers, mammoths, and giant sloths.
In spite of the fact that The Wizard and his charges had never apparated into an object or person, Linda made sure the patio was clear. At precisely 4:00, The Wizard, Donald Brewer and their six charges appeared in the middle of the patio. The Wizard was carrying Michael Deere in one arm and a pair of tar covered trainers in his other hand. Sydney Brewer had also managed to get a rather large lump of tar in one of her braids. She was holding it away from her camouflage pattern outfit.
“Young Michael thought he could walk on what appeared to be solid ground in spite of being warned not to leave the group. We’ve had a little talk about following instructions. We didn’t realize he had lost his shoes at first. It wouldn’t have been good for University of Southern California Paleontology Department to find these under a mammoth’s carcass. That could have created quite a stir.”
The Wizard muttered something and the shoes and Sydney’s hair suddenly became tar free. The children couldn’t stop chattering for some time about their adventure. Not only had they seen a saber tooth tiger, they had seen a pack of dire wolves stalking a herd of strange looking deer. A herd of twenty wooly mammoths had crowned the adventure.
Joann and Margot had returned the remaining used dishes to the kitchen before starting to lay the tables for ice cream and cake. The adventurers to ancient southern California had taken a picnic with them, but ice cream and cake was being consumed with everyone else. Finally, it was time for the presents. For the magical, wrapped presents did not present much of a challenge; however, the mothers had cast obscuring spells on each package, and there was an honor code in effect not to peek. It was similar to the one in force during the Christmas season.
Cindy’s husband and only love had died at 203 years. That was far longer than many had expected. Bobbie’s husband, Andy, had lived just short of 130. Needless to say, at the time, both women were heartbroken; however, they had long before reconciled themselves to the fact their husbands would pre-decease them by centuries. Neither Cindy nor Bobbie would form a significant relationship after their husbands’ deaths. They did not become celibate. They would date infrequently, and if the mood struck them, would take their companion to bed for a night’s enjoyment. There was never any permanence in any of their relationships, and their transitory lovers would quickly forget about them.
In spite of Cindy and Bobbie’s closeness, they never went to bed together. Some would have guessed otherwise. Two women could never be closer, and it wasn’t the fact they were not attracted to each other. They loved each other very much. They just didn’t want to do anything to harm that relationship. They did not want to become reclusive or codependent. After all, they had at least four or five hundred years, maybe more, of life expectancy ahead of them.
At least once a year they would take a vacation to American Samoa, not that they didn’t go there more often than that. Cindy’s mother and aunt had decided they would spend six months together in Samoa, and six months visiting their children, grandchildren and friends all over the world. Never a year would go by when they and Margaret didn’t spend a few weeks in Braşov, Romania with Simoné and Ivana. The hotel and surroundings were so nice. Of course, neither of them had to work, but when they knew they were needed, they were there.
The beach at Lauliifou was a wonderful place. The sands were white, and the water was crystal clear. The Capital City of Pago Pago was not quite visible to the northwest, but the international airport to the southwest was quite noticeable; especially with the air traffic coming and going. Fortunately, they didn’t have to worry about air travel. The island had a population of about 60,000, and that was all it could really handle. The tourist travel easily added another 20 to 30 percent year round.
“Cindy, do you see those two women over there by the ice cream vendor?”
“Yes.”
“They were at the restaurant last night. They were by themselves. Do you remember them?”
“Yes, they sat close to the bar. I thought it was a bit unusual that they weren’t accompanied.”
“Can you read them?”
“No, I can’t. I didn’t try last night. I didn’t see any reason to.”
“Cindy, what’s wrong with that picture? Obviously, they’re witches, but I’ve never seen them before. Why are they wearing dark glasses? They were wearing them last night in that dark restaurant, too. They shouldn’t need them, and the dark lenses should be transparent to us, but they’re not. They don’t want us to see their eyes. They have to know we are witches, and they don’t want us to know who they are. I think they’re teasing us.”
“Why would they do that? Besides, where’d they go?”
The two long-time friends looked around. The other two women were nowhere to be seen.
Marissa and Elizabeth had long before made up for the separation they had endured but were never aware of as they grew up. They had been staying with Margaret Vaeaolesau on the other side of the island while Bobbie and Cindy stayed in a posh hotel in Pago Pago. Mature witches learned very early in their lives that they didn’t have to use magic to get along in the world. They could invest wisely and live off their investments. Yes, they could use magic to their advantage, but they didn’t have to hurt others to get ahead. Simoné and Ivana learned that early in their lives. They took advantage of the dishonest, only. They built up their wealth early and made sure they used it to help others; not just themselves. They had saved more than forty families and their lands during the wars and USSR invasion. Simoné had worked her magic during the latter periods.
But back to Cindy and Bobbie. They were a bit mystified about the two disappearing witches. Obviously, they knew Bobbie and Cindy were witches. Why didn’t they just introduce themselves? Witches in general were a pretty sociable group; although there were still some isolationists among the Roma. A few had shown up at the conferences over the years. The two unknown women were not likely to be Roma, but who were they?
Cindy and Bobbie had decided to eat at a very exclusive restaurant in Pago Pago. It was quiet, not too bright, had great Polynesian food, and an excellent bar. There were not any blaring televisions playing football (soccer), rugby, or other sports. It was definitely not a pick up place. Reservations were a must.
“Good evening, do you have reservations?” the nicely gowned greeter asked.
“Yes, I’m Cindy Brewer ….”
“Certainly, the other two in your party arrived just a little while ago. Please follow me.”
“Wha …?” Bobbie gently nudged Cindy before she could say anything else. She had seen the two women at the table for four that was in a secluded corner.
The two ladies stood as they approached. Both were brunettes, but the shorter of the two had nearly black hair. She also had a naturally dark, almost olive complexion. They were still wearing their glasses.
“I’m sure you’re wondering what this is all about. I’m Felicity and this is Angelina. We met in college a number of years ago. I’m sure you can tell by my accent that I’m Australian. Angelina is from the Philippines. Why don’t we sit and have a drink; we’ve already ordered for you.”
They sat as the waiter brought their drinks. They were margaritas, probably as good as they’d had in many years.
“Angelina and I met in college many years ago. As you obviously know, we are witches. We went to medical school and did our residencies together. We were watching a video one night on the website we grew up with. We’d met Charli at one of our coven’s get togethers a while ago. She certainly has done some amazing things with the website. Anyway, we were looking at a replay of the US National Convention. Being 12 hours or so out of sync and working at the hospital makes it tough to see it live. We did see it and it came to us at the same time. We knew what we had to do.
Suddenly, Cindy knew what it was about. She looked at the shorter of the two brunettes, who at this point hadn’t said a thing. There was a tear running down her face. Cindy reached out and gently took the younger woman’s hand. The feeling of warmth, peace and love was instantaneous. The woman was trembling just slightly. Cindy reached over with her other hand and removed the woman’s glasses. She had a hesitant smile, and her dark brown, flecked with gold eyes brimmed with tears.
“I’ve missed you so much. We missed both of you.”
She didn’t have a chance to say anything else. Cindy grabbed her in a fierce hug and they cried and cried, only stopping to exchange passionate kisses. Bobbie turned to look at Felicity. She had removed her glasses.
“Andy?” Bobbie said quietly.
Felicity nodded. Their reaction was similar.
In a way, things became quite a bit calmer after that. Of course, Felicity had raised a curtain of obscurity very early. Those in the restaurant never had a clue as to what was going on. For many reasons the emotional highs dropped a bit after the initial shock wore off. A sense of peace and certainty washed over all of them. Four people who loved each other very much were back together, and they would be together for many centuries in the future. They would work out the details later.
They were actually able to enjoy their dinner, but they mostly just exchanged loving glances and light touches.
“How did you find us?” Cindy asked.
“We’ve known about you since we were very young. Our previous families are rather famous,” Felicity answered. “After all, the New England Coven is the center of magic these days. All six new wizards work out of that region as do the two sorceresses. We just didn’t remember our previous relationships. ‘You know who’ waited until he thought we were ready before he released the memories. We’ve been in touch with most since then. Don is pretty much in charge of things. Marissa, Beth, and Margaret have known for months.
Felicity and Angelina had been very thorough in their plans for the meeting. After dinner, Felicity led Bobbie back to the room in the other wing of the hotel where she and Angelina, unknown to Bobbie and Cindy, had been staying. Cindy and Angelina, hand in hand went to the other room. They didn’t need to say anything to each other.
It had been a very emotional evening, but the evening was far from over. When two people are in love, and have been in love for a long time, and married for more than 150 years, there are certain things that happen that are pretty much givens. This time it wasn’t two shy virgins who weren’t really too sure what to do. It was two lovers who had been apart for far too long. Cindy took in the woman/man she had loved most of her life. Frankly, she could only see Donna. The resemblance was uncanny. She was very fit. Her breasts stood firmly, high on her chest; just like they did the first time Cindy saw her in the locker room after gym class so many years before. The athleticism was there. They showered together, reacquainting each other with the tactile memories they’d had from so long before. They dried each off with the plush hotel towels before donning their nighties and walking together to the king-sized bed.
One might wonder why they even bothered to put on nighties. After all, they wouldn’t remain on for very long. They did it because of memories of their first time together.
“Mmmmmm, you smell nice,” Angelina said.
“So do you, my love.”
“I’ve missed you so much.”
“Shhh, we’ll talk about that later” Cindy said, gently touching Angelina’s lips with her index finger. Then she leaned forward and gently kissed the lips she had kissed so many times before. Angelina’s response was immediate. Cindy gently pulled her nightie over her head and lost hers quickly afterwards.
“Now, where was I?” Soon their tongues were gently dueling. Their nipples were like hot daggers pressing into each other's breasts. The feeling of their breasts pressing into each other was something that brought back wonderful memories. Cindy could resist no longer. She let her lips trail down to the base of Angelina’s throat, and then on to her breasts, those gravity defying cones she had fallen in love with the so many years before. She drew a hard nipple into her mouth and teased the point with her tongue.
“Ohmygod,” Angelina gasped as she gently pressed Cindy’s head into her chest. Cindy continued her journey across her hard belly to her sparsely furred mound. She was bringing back memories from a long time ago. In the back of her mind was one thing. This was the person she loved so much. It didn’t matter what form she was in.
“Please. I need you now,” Angelina begged.
Unlike the first time they’d made love, there was no hesitation on the part of either. Memories, especially good memories, can make love making very easy. Cindy gently paid homage to her pretty folds. She found the right spot and gently teased her. For a while Angelina lay still, then Cindy’s ministrations began to elicit a response. She could feel the muscles in Angelina’s belly start to twitch and contract. Her hips started to thrust upward meeting Cindy’s gentle probing. Suddenly, she started vibrating and little moans escaped her clenched jaws. It hit her very hard. She did nothing to stifle her screams. Finally, the spasms ceased; then the sobs began.
Cindy cradled her to her breasts, gently rocking her back and forth. “It’s okay, my love, it’s okay. I will be here for you forever. I will never leave you.”
Angelina’s sobs gradually subsided. “My life was empty. Our lives were empty. We couldn’t figure out what was wrong. Felicity and I love each other very much. We always will. We couldn’t figure it out, though. Something was missing. Then we saw you in that replay of the US Convention. It hit us simultaneously. We knew who you were. Then The Wizard told us you were going to be in Samoa.”
“He does things like that,” Cindy replied. “He plays by his own rules. We just have to get used to it. I know you understand that.
“I think back to that first time I made love to you. It was so right. Then you disappeared. I thought about killing myself. Thank god Bobbie and my mother knew what was going on. I know Mom knows what’s been going on this time. It really doesn’t matter, though. You are here.”
Then it was a repeat of their first time. “I have no complaints, but one. This will never be a one-sided relationship, and I think I am one up on you. Cindy, do you realize how incredibly beautiful you are; inside and outside?
“These lips for instance: they are so soft and pouty.”
“Ummmm ….”
“And these breasts; I’ve never seen any more perfect. I mean, look how these beautiful nipples pucker when I do this. They look like little strawberries, and they are just as sweet.”
“Yesss, oh yes. Please do the other one, too. God, you’re making my toes curl.”
“And this delightful little innie navel; my tongue fits in there just like this.”
“That tickles so good.”
“This golden forest is just waiting for me to pass through it. And, look what it leads to. This is so sweet, just like an orchid, dew covered and opening to the sun. I may linger here for a while.”
“Please do.”
They slept entwined in each other’s arms.
Four cats, one the most intelligent and beautiful cat in the world, were getting acquainted in the US. The Wizard had seen to it.
At this point, I think we will leave the lovers alone. Ever after is a long time, suffice it to say. There would be many more reunions over the centuries. Some would be surprises, and some would not. The archivist has probably recorded many more stories; however, she is not sure whether or not she will be releasing them. We know when Randi, Charli, Ginny, Lucy and others were in their teens, they did some pretty ‘naughty’ things. Randi did allude to some past experiences; however, I’m not sure it is necessary to go there, either.
Does anyone remember Andy’s first name?