Trust Machines
Godmother
by JMD
(featuring concepts by dkfenger)


The mailbox at the end of the walk said “Roberts”.

Jane sat and nervously stared at the house across the street for almost ten minutes before she got out of the car.  It was another two minutes before she crossed the road and made her way up the sidewalk to the front door.  Another minute passed before she finally rang the doorbell.

It took much less time for the door to open.  “Yes?”

She started to answer, but the woman that opened the door brought her up short.  She wasn’t what she expected.  The face was right, as was the hair.  The figure on the other hand…

“Laurie?” Jane asked cautiously.

“Just a second,” the woman said, turning away.  “Honey!  Door!”

“Coming,” came the reply from somewhere in the house.

The woman turned back to Jane.  “She’ll be right here.”

“Thanks,” Jane nodded.  

With a nod, the woman left her to wait.  Less than a minute later, the woman was back.  Or, at least, it looked like the same woman, right down to the clothes she was wearing.  But there was something different about her now.  The way she carried herself.  And especially her reaction to who was standing at her door.

“Can I…” Laurie’s expression darkened immediately.  Her stance stiffened.  Jane could feel the heat coming from her as she leaned against the door frame.  “Well,” she said after a moment, “when I saw Janice on the weather last night, I figured that Grant must have gotten you back.  Didn’t expect to see you here, though.  What do you want?”

Jane swallowed before answering.  “I came to apologize.”

“Apologize?” Laurie repeated.  “For which?  Turning me into your pantyhose?  Or the cardboard thing?”

“Neither,” Jane replied, feeling her own anger rising.  She took a breath to get it under control.  “Okay.  Maybe for the cutout?  That may have been uncalled for.”  She locked eyes with the woman.  “But the pantyhose?  Never.  You had that one coming.”

“Yeah,” the other woman nodded.  “I guess I did.”

Jane’s mouth opened to argue but snapped shut instantly.  “You did?”

Laurie took her own breath.  “Look, Janey,” she said, “we were awful to you in school.  Who can blame you for looking for a little payback?”  When Jane didn’t answer, she went on.  “And, to be totally honest, the cardboard thing…  Well, I was sort of asking for it, wasn’t I?”

“You’re not mad?”

“I didn’t say that,” Laurie pointed out.  “Just because I was asking for it doesn’t mean you had to answer.”

“No,” Jane admitted.  “I didn’t.”

Both women dropped into an awkward silence.  Laurie finally broke it.  “So…  If you’re not here to apologize for what you did to me with that crazy machine, what ARE you sorry for?”

“For the way I went about it.”

Laurie looked confused.

“You said it yourself,” Jane explained.  “You were awful in school.  You Bees took anything about anyone that you viewed as inferior and you rode them endlessly about it.  With me, it was my intelligence.  With the fat girls, it was…”

“…their weight,” Laurie finished for her.

“Exactly.  When I was planning my payback, I checked up on all of you.  Janice.  Toni.  And you.  I looked for whatever I could find that I could use to get you into the Venn Machine.  The other two were easy.  But you…  You wouldn’t go anywhere near one.”

“No, I wouldn’t.  Not after what Janice did to me.”

Jane nodded.  “I had to find something that made the idea of getting into the machine irresistible.  The only thing I could come up with was to play to your vanity.  I knew about how you felt about putting on weight, and I used that.”  She lowered her head.  “And that was wrong.”

“I don’t know,” Laurie said.  When Jane looked back up to her, she added, “Sounds rather poetic to me.”

“It does?”

“Of course it does,” Laurie insisted.  “Anyone could see that.”

“But Janice…”

“Ah!” Laurie cut her off.  “Now, it makes sense.  She got into your head, didn’t she?”

Jane looked embarrassed before nodding.  

“And I thought you were supposed to be a genius.”  Laurie shook her head.  “That’s what she does.  You KNOW that.  And you still…”  Another shake.  “That’s how she managed to win that second contest, isn’t it?  She got you worrying about what you did to me and… POW!”

“Something like that, yeah.”

Laurie gave her a soft smile.  “What did she turn you into?”

Jane’s cheeks reddened.  “A joint.”

“A…  You mean…”  Laurie brought her hand up to her lips.  Bringing her thumb and index finger together, she made like she was smoking a cigarette.  

“That’s it,” Jane confirmed.  

“Wow.”  She leaned against the door frame.  “I mean…  Wow.  Did she…”

Jane quickly shook her head.  “Grant didn’t give her a chance.”

“Good.”  Jane could still see her thinking about it.  “Could she have actually gotten high off you?”

Jane shrugged.  “Grant says that it would be hard to get the THC right.  So, probably not physically anyway.  Can’t help but seeing her getting a psychological high from the idea of smoking me, though.”

Laurie nodded agreement.  “Either way, it would have had to hurt like holy hell being burned up like that.”  She gave a shudder.

“Yeah.”  Really wanting to change the subject, Jane added, “So, I can’t help but notice that you’ve been through a bit of a change yourself.”

Laurie smiled.  “A little, maybe.”

Jane smiled back.  “Venn Machine?”

“What else?”

“But I thought…”

Laurie’s smile got bigger.  “Thank your husband.”

“Grant?” Jane questioned.  “He did this?”

“Not directly.  But he’s the one that made me promise to talk to my husband.”

“I take it that it went well.”

To answer, Laurie did a little twirl, ending with a catwalk pose.  “Need I say more?”

“No.  That pretty much says it all.”  Jane hesitated before going on.  “So, that was…  that… answered…”

Laurie giggled.  “That must have been a bit of a shock.”

“A bit.”

“Yeah. That was Jordan.”

“And…?” Jane prompted.

“He wanted to be sure that he got me just the way I wanted,” Laurie explained.  “So, I did him first and he copied what I did to him onto me.”  

“And he didn’t change himself back after?”

It was Laurie’s turn to blush.  “He wanted to … play … a little first.”  Her blush deepened.

Jane smiled, remembering some of the play her and Grant had gotten in during her Quick Draw training.  “Got it,” she said.  “And everything’s good.  I mean, he’s not…”

“Having an affair?  Nope.  Turns out that all those business trips weren’t business trips after all.  They were interviews.”

“Really?”

“Yup.  His company is looking for someone to head up a new division out west.  He was going for the job.  Got it, too.  Already got us a new place picked out and everything.”

“And his assistant?”

“Terry’s going to be the liaison between the new division and here.  She traveled with him so she could get prepared for that.”

Jane considered that.  “You’re sure?  Because it still sounds a little hinky to me.”

“Did to me, too…”  Laurie smiled mischievously.  “…until I found out that Terry brought her girlfriend along with her.

“Girl…?”  Jane’s eye widened in understanding.  “She’s…”

“She is.”

Jane considered that and shrugged.  “Still,” she said, “it has to be hard to just move and leave everything behind like this.”

“Not really,” Laurie disagreed.  “Truth be told, I’ve really grown to hate this house.  It’s become the representation of everything wrong in my life.  Do you remember what I told you when you were Kathy?  About my plan?”

Jane thought back.  “Perfect husband with the perfect job.  Perfect house.  Perfect kids.”

Laurie nodded.  “Right.  Everything perfect.”

“It’s a nice dream.”

“And that’s what it is,” Laurie admitted.  “A dream.  Life is not perfect.  I realize that now.  Could be that this move is just what I need to put all that behind me.  A new start, as it were.  I need to learn to appreciate what I’ve got and stop worrying so much about what I don’t.”

“Sounds good.”  Jane sighed before going on.  “Look, Laurie, poetic or not, I still feel bad about what I did to you.  Isn’t there something I can do to make up for it?”

Laurie considered it.  “Maybe there is, at that.”

“Name it.”

“I could use some new clothes.”  Jane looked confused, so Laurie held her arms out to indicate her new figure again.  “The only things I’ve got that fits are what I’ve got on.  Everything else is sized to the old me.”

Jane nodded in understanding.  “Well, I think we can do something about that.  After all, I did just sell my company for about a ka-zillion bucks.”  She grinned at her.  “You were there, remember?”

Laurie narrowed her eyes, but there was no hatred in them.  “I’m not asking for charity, though,” she insisted.  “I fully intend to pay you back.”

Jane waved her off.  “We’ll worry about that later.  For now, let’s go shopping.”

Laurie squealed with delight before rushing back into the house.  “Jordan!” she called out.  “Watch the boys.  I’ll be back.”

Jane heard what sounded like Laurie answering herself.  “Everything alright?”

“Everything’s fine.”  Laurie reappeared at the door, carrying her purse.  “Just a little girl time,” she shouted back.  “Be back in a couple of hours.”  She pulled the door closed.  “Let’s go.”

They took Jane’s car.  “Where to?” she asked.

“The mall, of course,” Laurie told her.  

“I wasn’t sure you’d want to go there,” Jane explained, pulling onto the road.  “After all, that’s where…”  She let the thought trail off.

“It is.”  Laurie smiled.  “But it’s also where Jordan did my makeover.  So, it’s okay.”  She shrugged.  “Besides, it’s where I get all my clothes.  So…”

Jane nodded.  “What do you figure you need?”

“Just the basics for now.  A few pairs of jeans.  Some tops.  Underwear.  A couple of nightgowns.  Nothing fancy.”

Jane cut her eyes over playfully.  “What?  No sexy dress for when you and Jordan go out to celebrate his promotion?”

A short laugh burst out of Laurie.  “Yeah, right.”

“What’s so funny?”

Laurie turned to give her a “you-just-don’t-know” smile.  “You can sure tell you and Grant are still newlyweds.”  Jane’s confused expression made her explain.  “We’ve got two young boys, Janey.  Young and wild.  The only place we’ll be doing any celebrating will be Chuckie Cheese.”  She turned to face forward again.  “Hardly need a sexy dress for that.”

Jane didn’t know what to say to that, so she just pulled into a parking space.  “Where do you want to start?”

“Pennies,” Laurie answered, opening her door.  “Should be able to start and finish there.  Sound good?”

“Sure.  I just need to hit the ladies first.”

“Gotcha,” Laurie said.  She closed her door.  “I’ll just wait for you.”

“No need for that.  Go on to the store.  I’ll be there as soon as I’m done.”

Laurie shrugged.  “Okay.  See you there.”  She headed on into the mall.

Jane followed a bit behind her.  Once Laurie was out of sight, she pulled her phone out of her purse.  She hit speed dial and waited.  “Grant,” she said when it was answered.

“Hey, Jane,” her husband said back to her.  “Everything taken care of?”

“Yeah, everything’s cool.”  She sighed.  “Well, almost everything.”

Grant took a moment before asking, “What’s up?”

Jane thought carefully before answering.  “Honey,” she said decisively, “I’ve got a mission for you.”  She told him what she needed him to do.  

“You’re sure about this?” he asked.

“Completely.”

“In that case,” he told her, “I’m on it.  I’ll be in touch.”

“Thanks.  Love you.”  She hung up and rushed to catch up with Laurie.

For the next two hours, they shopped.  Laurie tried on a couple of outfits to make sure she had her new measurements right.  Then it was just a matter of picking out what appealed to her.  Three pairs of jeans.  Two pairs of regular pants.  Some shorts.  Several styles of tops.  A few bras and a couple of packs of panties.  Some sleepwear, including one short gown of silk.  

While Laurie was making her choices, Jane did some looking of her own.  She picked up a nice black clutch purse.  In the shoe department, she looked until she found a pair of sling-back heels that matched the purse.  

She was checking out jewelry when Laurie came over with her own purchases.  “What do you think of these earrings?” Jane asked her.

“Ooh,” Laurie cooed.  “Those are gorgeous.”  She glanced at the price tag.  “Ouch.  Expensive, too.  But I guess that’s not a problem for you.  Must be nice.”

Jane smiled with a half-hearted shrug.  “Still getting a little used to it myself,” she admitted.

“Well, in that case, you should definitely get them.”  She investigated the display case.  “And that bracelet there.  And that one.  They will go great with them.”

Jane smiled.  “Sounds like a plan.”  She turned to the salesclerk.  “You heard my friend.  Ring me up.”

“Right away, Madam.”

“Friend?” Laurie asked.

“Problem?”

“No,” Laurie answered quickly with a moment of panic.  At Jane’s smile, she relaxed.  “No,” she said again.  “No problem at all.”

“Good.”  Jane signed the credit slip and took her purchases from the clerk.  “Now,” she said, moving away from the counter, “I don’t know about you, but I could use a latte.”

“Lead on,” Laurie said, gathering her bags together.  As she followed Jane out of the store, she whispered it to herself.  “Friend.”

They were still enjoying their coffee when Jane’s phone chirped.  She picked it up and read the text from Grant.  “All set,” it said.

“What’s that?” Laurie asked.

“Grant,” Jane answered, putting the phone away.  “He’s working on a project.”

“A Venn Machine project?”

Jane nodded and pointed to the end of the mall.  “Right over there, in fact.”  She waited a beat, then added, “Want to check it out?”

“At the Venn Machine?”  Laurie looked doubtful.  “I don’t know.”

“Come on,” Jane insisted, gathering her bags.  “You’ll like this.  I promise.”  

Without waiting, she headed off in the direction of the machine.  Laurie just watched her go for a moment before gathering up her own things.  With a sigh, she followed the other woman, though she stayed more than a few steps behind her.  

As they got closer to the Venn Machine, Laurie’s apprehension grew stronger.  It didn’t help that every few feet or so, Jane would turn and smile at her.  Not that it was an unpleasant smile.  It seemed quite friendly, in fact.  But still…

Turning the corner at the alcove, she recognized Grant standing outside of the machine.  He was talking to a man with his back to them.  She assumed it was his client.  Jane called out to her husband, who waved back.  The man with him turned, and Laurie stopped dead in her tracks.

“Jordan?”

As Jane continued over to her husband, the man that looked like her husband came toward Laurie.  She didn’t want to appear afraid but couldn’t help backing up a step or two.  Over the man’s shoulder, she saw Jane give Grant a quick peck on the lips.

“Okay,” Laurie said, dropping her bags.  “What the holy fuck is going on here?”  She held her hand out to her “husband”.  “You!  Stop right there.”

The man held up, raising his hands in a calming fashion.  “Sweetie…”

“Don’t Sweetie me,” Laurie cut him off.  She turned her eyes back to Jane, who was coming toward them.  “You stay put, too.”  Jane stopped.  “No one comes anywhere near me till I get some answers.  So, again.  What’s going on?”

“Laurie,” Jane started.  “Let me…”

“It’s okay,” the man stopped her.  “I’ve got this.”  He took a tentative step toward Laurie.  “Sweetie, it’s me.”

“Yeah, sure it is,” Laurie countered.  “The last time I saw my husband he looked just like me.  JUST like me.  So, you must have come out of that machine.  Is that right?”

“I did,” the man admitted.  “About ten minutes ago.”

“So, you could be anyone done up to look like Jordan.  Just like Jane was when she pretended to be Kathy.”

“I could, yeah.”

“Uh-huh,” Laurie nodded vigorously.  “Nice try, pal.”  She turned pained eyes to Jane.  “You.  I trusted you.”

Jane’s own eyes grew pained.  “Laurie…”

“What if I could prove it?” the man cut in.

Laurie turned back to him.  “Prove what?”

“That I’m me,” he replied.  “Jordan Roberts.  Your husband.”

“Prove it how?”

“Let me whisper something to you,” he offered.  “If that doesn’t do it, you’re free to go.  No one will try to stop you.”

Laurie eyed him suspiciously.  He DID look like her husband.  He even had that same hurt puppy look in his eyes.  Finally, she nodded.  “Put your hands into your pockets,” she ordered.  The man complied.  “If you so much as try to pull them out…”  She nodded toward Jane and Grant.  “…or if either of them makes a move at all, my knee’s going to slam your balls up into your throat.  Got it?”

To her surprise, the man smiled.  “Got it.”  He eased toward her.  “Ready?”

Laurie took a second before nodding.  “Okay.”  She turned her head slightly so that he could reach her ear, never taking her eyes off his hands.  

He bent in.  “On our honeymoon,” he started.  The rest was too quiet for anyone but Laurie to hear.

But it seemed to work.  Her eyes widened while her cheeks turned a heavy shade of red.  Involuntarily, her left hand dropped to her left hip.  Stepping back, she took another look at the man standing there.  “Jordan?” she said, more confused than before.  Her husband nodded.  “What the…”

He cut her off with a kiss that, after a moment’s resistance, she returned.  After a bit, he pulled back and smiled at her.  “Holy fuck,” he quoted.  “Really?”

“Well,” she smiled back, placing a hand on his chest, “I was surprised.  REALLY surprised.”  She pulled back, eyeing him suspiciously again.  “Speaking of which…  What ARE you doing here?  And where are the…”  

“The boys are with my sister.”  Before she could ask a follow-up, he added, “She agreed to watch them while we go out and celebrate.”

“Cele…”  She turned back to Jane, who was smiling at her.  “Okay, someone better start explaining.”

“That sounds like my cue,” Jane stated.  She took a quick breath before proceeding.  “This is all my doing.”

Laurie crossed her arms.  “Go on.”

Jane shrugged.  “I just think you should celebrate Jordan’s promotion at somewhere nicer than Chuckie Cheese.”

“Okay.  And where did you have in mind?”

“I was thinking that place across the street would be nice.”

“Across…”  She stopped short.  She looked back to her husband, noticing for the first time that he was dressed in his expensive suit.  The one he only wore to important business meetings.  “The Palace?” she went on, turning back to Jane.  “You’re talking about Ella’s Palace?”

“I am.”

“The most exclusive restaurant in town?”

“That’s the one.”

“And how can we afford that?”

“My treat.”

Laurie sighed.  “Janey…”

“It’s not for you.”

Laurie stopped short.  “It’s not.”

“Nope,” Jane told her.  “It’s for Jordan.”

“Jordan?”

Jane nodded.  “My way of congratulating him on his promotion.”  She smiled.  “As far as I’m concerned, he can go with anyone he wants.  If that’s you, well…”

Laurie frowned at her.  “Nice.”

“I thought so,” Jane agreed.  “Grant’s made reservations for two in…”  She glanced at her watch.  “…about an hour or so.”

“An hour?” Laurie erupted.  “How am I supposed to get ready to go to The Palace in just an hour?”  She stopped as all three smiled at her.  “Oh, no…  HELL NO!”

“Now, Sweetie…” Jordan said, reaching for her arm.

Laurie snatched it away.  “NO!” she shouted.  “I told you, Jordan.  I told you what she did to me in that thing.  If you think I’m getting back into it with…”  She stopped when she caught sight of Jane’s hurt expression.  “Jane…”

“It’s okay, Laurie,” Jane stopped her.  “I understand.  That’s why I’m not asking you to get in with me.”

“You’re not.”

Jane shook her head.

“Then who?”

“Me,” Grant answered.  “I can get you ready for dinner.  Make-up.  Hair.  You’ll look great.  I promise.”

Laurie still looked worried.  Jordan reached out for her again and, this time, she let him.  “Sweetie,” he said, turning her to him, “it’s okay.  They can’t do anything to you with me here.”  He smiled softly.  “Nothing I can’t fix, anyway.”

“That’s not funny.”

He nodded, but still smiled.  “It’s a little funny.”  As her eyes narrowed, he went on.  “Look, Sweetie, I’ve gotten to know Grant fairly well over the last hour or so.  He told me how bad Jane felt about what she did to you.  She really wants to make it up to you.  I think we can trust them.”

Laurie considered it for a bit.  “I guess you’re right.”  She turned to Grant.  “After all, even with Jane in trouble, you made sure to get me back into shape.  You didn’t have to do that.”  With a final breath, she moved toward the Venn Machine.  “Well, if we’re going to do this…”  

Jane turned to the control and toss a couple of coins in.  “I’m setting it just for sixteen hours,” she explained, as Laurie stopped beside her.  “That will be plenty of time for you to enjoy the evening.”

The doors appeared on the machine.  Laurie looked at Grant.  “Which side do I get in on?”

“Lady’s choice.”

With a nod, she turned to the left.  Just before stepping inside, she stopped and jumped back.  “Wait!” she cried as she turned back.  “If I go in there, won’t I lose…”  She ran her hands along her curves.

“No,” Grant assured her.  “That only happens if you’re something that can’t work the controls.  You should be okay.”

“Good,” Laurie said, stepping back to the machine.

“But…”

Lauren instantly jumped back.  “But?”

“You should know that after these sixteen hours are up, you’ll return to normal.”

Lauren frowned.  “Normal?”

“The way you looked before Jordan changed you.”  Before she could protest, Grant put a hand up to ease her worry.  “It’s no big deal.  Just get Jordan to extend it.”

“Extend it?”

“Just pick a time, get into the machine and hit the green button without making any other changes.”  Laurie still seemed doubtful, so he assured her.  “That will work.  Or, if you’d prefer the figure without the changes I’m going to make, just use History.”

“What’s history?” Jordan asked.

“Just what it sounds like.  A history of the last ten or so changes made to someone.  Just say ‘history’ and they come up.  Pick the one you want and press the green button.”

“That’s convenient.”

“Can be,” Grant agreed.  He turned back to Laurie.  “Okay?”

She took a deep breath before nodding.  Without another word, she stepped through the door.  With a wink at his wife, Grant entered the right side.  The door closed, leaving Jordan and Jane to wait.  After a few minutes, the doors reappeared.  Coming out of his side, Grant moved to the other side and offered his hand inside.  

Laurie exited the machine nervously.  She caught sight of her husband, who was looking at her with an amazed expression.  “What?” she asked.  

“You’re…” Jordan stuttered.  “Wow!”

“I am?”  She snapped her fingers at Jane.  “Mirror.  I need a mirror.”  The other woman quickly complied.  Laurie stared at her reflections for several moments.  Turning back to Jane, she smiled.  “Your husband does good work.”  

“Yes,” Jane smiled back.  “He does.”

“He most certainly does,” Jordan agreed.  “Sweetie, you’re more beautiful than the day I married you.”

“Well,” Laurie said, “I’m not sure I’d go that far, but I DO look good.”  She nodded to Grant.  “Thank you.”

“You’re very welcome.”

“I think you missed a detail, though.”  She looked down at herself.  She was still dressed in the same clothes she’d gone into the machine with.  “I’m pretty sure this isn’t proper attire for the Palace.”

“You’re right,” Jane answered for him.  “It’s not.  That’s where I come in.”

Laurie turned to her.  “You?  What does…”  Her eyes widened as realization hit her.  “You mean…”

Jane smiled.  “I do.”

“Janey…”  

“Laurie…” Jane cut her off.  “Look…  I wore you to my celebration.  Seems only fair for you to wear me to yours.”

“You’re serious.”

“Completely.”

Laurie cocked an eyebrow at her.  “Are you sure this isn’t just another way to ease your guilty conscience?”

Jane smiled.  “Of course, it is.”

Laurie gave that some thought before smiling back.  “You know, I’m okay with that.”

“Great,” Jane said.  “Let’s see if you’re okay with this.”  She took a deep breath.  “I want you to do it.”

“Me?”

“You.”

“Why me?”

Jane smiled.  “Because Grant has the fashion skills of … well, a guy.”

“Hey!  Standing right here.”  After a moment of indignation, Grant shrugged.  “But she’s got a point.”

“Of course, I do.”  She blew him a kiss before turning back to Laurie.  “And that point is that this is a special night.  You should have a special dress.”  She smiled.  “You should have a Laurie Roberts original.”

Laurie looked apprehensive.  “I don’t know, Janey.”

“I understand why you don’t want to get into the machine with me.  Neither time you did really worked out in your favor.  But I promise this time will.”

“And I believe that because…”

“Because I’ve never lied to you before.”

A huff of disbelief erupted from Laurie.  “You haven’t?”

“Not once,” Jane asserted.  Laurie went to protest, but she cut her off.  “When I was Kathy, I promised to make you thinner.  I did that.”

“By turning me into pantyhose,” Laurie pointed out.

“Maybe,” Jane acknowledged.  “But I didn’t lie.”

“And the cutout?”

“You told me to make you a thinner version of yourself.  Again, I did that.”

“You knew that’s not what I meant.”  Laurie let out a breath of surrender.  “But you’re right.  You did what you said you would.”  She crossed her arms over her chest.  “So, what are you going to do this time?”

“Nothing.”

“Nothing?”

“Absolutely nothing,” Jane asserted.  “I’m going to go in that machine and I’m going to let you use it on me.  Until that happens, I’ll do nothing to you in any way.”  She smiled.  “I’ll even put my hands in my pockets.”

Laurie frowned at the comment.  “Funny.”  She gave it some thought.  “You promise?”

“I promise.”

Laurie turned to her husband.  “What do you think, Babe?”

Jordan shrugged.  “Again, I’ll be right here.  But, ultimately, it’s your decision.”

Laurie sighed.  “Thanks a lot.”  She told a few moments to think about it.  Finally, she threw her hands up.  “Oh, what the hell?  Let’s do this.”

Jane gave a fist pump.  “One more thing,” she added.  Laurie immediately looked angry.  “Hold up,” Jane told her.  “Let me finish.”  She went over to where they had left their bags.  Picking up hers, she started back toward Laurie.  “I don’t care what kind of dress you make me,” she explained.  “But whatever you come up with, it should go with these.”  She held the bag out to her.

Laurie looked confused as she took the bag.  “But this is your stuff?”

Jane shook her head.  “They were never meant for me.”

Laurie’s eyes grew wide.  “These are mine?”  When Jane nodded, she let out a small laugh.  “So, let me get this straight.  You bought your own accessories?”

“I did,” Jane smiled back.  “Make sure I look good with them.”

Laurie shook her head.  “Sure.  Why not?”  She handed the bag off to her husband.  “Okay.  Let’s get this over with.”

Jane took a dollar out of her purse before handing it to Grant.  She dropped it into the slot.  “I’m going to set this for one day,” she told Laurie.  “That way you won’t have to worry about me changing back while you’re out tonight.”

Laurie’s eyes widened.  “I hadn’t thought of that.  Thanks.”

“No problem.”  The doors appeared and Jane went into one.  “See you on the inside.”

Laurie took a deep breath and shared a final look with Jordan.  She stepped into the other door, which immediately disappeared.

Outside, Grant and Jordan waited.  They looked down at the bags at their feet.  They shared a smile.  “Typical,” Grant said.  “The guys stand around holding the purses while the ladies try on dresses.”

“Or,” Jordan countered, “in your case, gets turned into one.”  

The doors reappeared and they turned their attention back to the Venn Machine.  As they did, Laurie came out of her door.  Without a word, she went into the other door.  After a few seconds, she came out carrying Jane.  

“Uh, Sweetie,” Jordan commented.  “That’s not a dress.”

Laurie smiled into the face of the sex doll that she was holding.  “I know,” she affirmed.  She turned back to the guys.  “Just making sure the history thing works.”  She held up Jane for them to see.  “It does.”

“Good to know,” Jordan said.  “So…”

Laurie leaned the doll against the machine.  Taking her purse from Jordan, she took a quarter out of it.  Handing the purse back, she dropped the coin into the slot.   After setting the control for a day, the doors reappeared.  She quickly put Jane back into the machine.  “Back in a sec,” she called to the guys as she went into her side.  Again, the doors vanished.

Jordan waited for a beat before turning to Grant.  “So…  That’s in Jane’s history.”

Grant nodded without looking at him.  “It is.”

Jordan nodded with him, turning back to the machine.  

As he did, the doors appeared again.  They turned to Laurie’s door, but were surprised a second later when Jane came out of her side.  She ignored them, heading for the other door.  Going in, she soon came out with her own sex doll.  She eyed the guys.  “Just making a point.”  She turned the doll to face her.  “And before you cry foul, this does not constitute a lie.  I said I wouldn’t do anything to you UNTIL you had used the machine on me.  You used it.  So, I’m within my rights.”  

She leaned Laurie against the machine.  She held her hand out to Grant, who handed her a coin from his pocket.  Dropping into the slot, she reset the machine.  Picking the doll back up, she carried it to Laurie’s door.  “Now, if you’re through playing games, how about we get me ready for your date?”  

She placed Laurie into her side of the machine.  As she headed for her own door, Grant called out to her.  “What?” she asked in frustration.

“Just wanted to remind you that you’ll need to use her history to get her back to…”

She waved him off.  “Yeah, I know.  I’ve got this.”  She went into the machine and, for the third time, the doors disappeared.

Jordan waited another beat before turning to Grant again.  “So… That’s in Laurie’s history now.”

Grant smiled without looking at him.  “It is.”

Jordan nodded and turned back to the machine.  “Good to know,” he said with a smile.

This time, the doors didn’t reappear right away.  At the five-minute mark, Jordan asked, “So, what do you figure?  Dress design or cat fight.”

“Both,” Grant answered without hesitation.  

Finally, the doors opened.  Both guys held their breath, waiting to see who would come out first.  And as what.  They relaxed as Laurie appeared looking just as Grant had fixed her up.  She smiled at them and went into the other side.  She came back out a second later carrying a pile of black velvet.  She reached out to her husband for the bag that Jane had given her.  Taking it, she turned to Grant.  “Where?” she asked simply.

Grant pointed.  “There’s a dressing room around the corner.”

She nodded and headed off.  “I’ll be back in a few.”

“Don’t take too long, Sweetie,” Jordan called after her.  “We’ve only got about an hour to make our reservation.”

“You’re a funny man,” she called back over her shoulder before disappearing around the corner.

Thirty minutes later, the guys were still waiting.  Jordan turned to Grant.  “I don’t get it,” he complained.  “You did her make up.  You did her hair.  What could be taking so long?”

Before he could answer, Grant spotted something over his shoulder.  “That,” he stated, nodding in that direction.

The other man turned, his eyes taking in the sight of his wife.  Laurie stood at the corner, provocatively leaning against the wall with her left arm above her head.  The rucked off-the-shoulder velvet gown she had turned Jane into clung to her torso like a second skin.  Her left leg was thrown out of the thigh-high slit of the floor-length skirt.  She held the black clutch purse in her right hand with the two expensive bracelets positioned on the black velvet of the long sleeves.  

“So,” she asked seductively, “how do I look?”

Jordan approached her slowly.  “Why, Mrs. Roberts, you’re beautiful.”

Laurie let out a quick laugh at the reference.  “I don’t there’s anything scientific about those damned machines.”

“That’s okay,” he said, coming up to her.  “Blinded by magic works, too.”  He leaned in to kiss her.

“WHOA!” she shouted, pulling back.  At his confused look, she explained, “My make-up…”

“…will be just fine,” Grant offered.

“It will?”

“It was done in the machine,” he explained.  “Couldn’t mess it up if he tried.”

Taking the hint, Jordan took her into his arms, his lips quickly finding hers.  She dropped her arms over his shoulders, returning the kiss.  After almost a minute, he pulled away, letting out a satisfied breath.  “Well, Cinderella,” he asked, looking into her eyes.  “Ready to go to the ball?”

“I think so…”  She smiled at him.  …Prince Charming.”  As she took his offered arm, something occurred to her.  “Wait!”  She turned to her husband.  “Please tell me you didn’t come in the minivan.”

“Um…”  Laurie’s face fell.  “Actually, I came with him.”  He nodded at Grant.

“So, how…”

“No problem,” Grant said, reaching into his wife’s purse.  “I’m sure Jane would want you to take her car,” he added, pulling out the keys.

“The Lexus?” Laurie asked, snatching them before Jordan could.  “Now we’re talking.”

Sharing a smile, Jordan and Grant gathered up the bag with Laurie’s new wardrobe.  Following the excited woman out to the car, they put everything into the trunk.  “So,” Jordan asked after closing it, “who’s driving?”

Laurie considered it for a moment before handing the keys over.  “But I’m driving home.”  

“Deal.”  He opened the passenger door and let her in.  Closing it, he turned to Grant.  “Thank you.”

“Thank her dress,” Grant told him.  “This was all her idea.”

Jordan nodded with a smile.  A few seconds later, they were gone.  Grant smiled after them before heading for his own car.  “Bippiti-Boppiti-Boo,” he whispered to himself.

-----     -----     -----

Around ten the next morning, Grant pulled up to the curb in front of Laurie's house.  Jane's car was parked in the driveway.  As he headed up the walk, he could hear people moving around inside.  The occasional sound of laughter could also be heard.  Smiling, he rang the doorbell.

"Holy hell," he heard Laurie call out.  "That's going to be Grant."  There was a pause, then he heard.  "Where's Janey?"

"I'm not sure," Jordan's voice came in reply.  "Where were we when we finally got her off?  The hall?"

"No, I think we were in the boys' room."

"Nope," he countered.  "You were down to just panties by then."

"The kitchen," they said together.

Grant heard someone rush off to somewhere in the back of the house.

"Got her," came Laurie's voice.  "Coming!" she shouted a second later.

"Sweetie!" Jordan called out.

"What?" was Laurie's frustrated reply.  "Oh, right.  In that bag over there... No, the other one.  That's it.  Throw me that gown out of there."  Another pause.  "Thanks."  

A few seconds later, the door open enough for Laurie to stick her head out.  Her hair was a mess, but Grant noticed that her make-up was still perfect.  "Morning, Grant," she smiled shyly.

"Laurie," he returned.  "How was dinner?"

"Oh, perfect."  She opened the door a bit more.  Slipping her arm out, she held the velvet dress out to him.  "Well, here she is.  Tell her I said thank you again, will you?"

"I'll do that," he smiled, taking his wife from her.  

"Thank you, too," she nodded.  

"You're welcome," he nodded back.  "We'll come back for Jane's car later."  

Giving him a thumbs up, she started to close the door, but quickly opened it again.  "Oh, uh... and tell her I'm sorry about the stains."  At his confused expression, she just shrugged.  "Well...  Bye."  She shut the door quickly.  "Now, where were we," he heard through the wood.

Slowly, he backed away from the door, eyeing the dress suspiciously.  As he headed for his car, he couldn't help but wonder how mad his wife would be if he had her dry-cleaned before changing her back.