Alana drove to her Mother’s condo in shock at what had happened. “This can’t be happening to me…I can’t be this old now, this isn’t my life, I don’t deserve…” she looked down at her older looking hand “…this”.
Her heel clad foot worked the pedals as she instinctively drove home. She pulled into the very clean garage and went inside.
The condo was decorated very similarly yet there were differences in places. A painting she had always thought was ugly that hung in the living room was gone; replaced by one that she had to admit that she liked. She detected no sign of her Mom’s cat, Henry, whom she had never gotten along with.
Her heels clacked on the tile of the kitchen floor and she held onto the door frame as she stepped out of them. She flexed her tired and aching toes and feet as she went into the living room. “What happened?” she asked herself for the millionth time.
She went to a mirror on the wall and stared at her face, the wrinkles and gray streaks stared back at her. Her well-worn face showed the years and experiences of a woman twice her actual age, a woman she had become all of a sudden; not through years of earned age.
There was a laptop on the coffee table and Alana sat down before it. She bent forward and felt the muscles in her back twinge a bit as she did. Alana worked in IT, was a computer expert and had studied it in college but now, she wasn’t so sure. She could operate the computer fine, but the more intricate details were missing; unfamiliar to her now. “Did I get Mom’s job too? Did she get mine?”
Alana pulled up her company, her old company’s website by the looks of the contact us page. The contact now stated Sharon Watkins as the IT lead. “Shit” she mumbled. She pulled up the website for Hayes University instead and looked through the faculty listings and found her name. Alana Cooper, research librarian, was now listed with a picture of what she had turned into. “Shit” she repeated “Swapped careers too…she’s got part of my knowledge too”
It didn’t take Sharon long to discover that swap for herself as she felt so comfortable around computers that she knew something must have changed with their minds too. “Only Alana knows computers this well” she told herself later that night as she simply messed around on her personal laptop.
Sharon’s phone went off and the display read ‘Mom’ as she effortlessly swiped and picked up with a simple “Hey Mom, what’s up?”
Alana was a bit taken aback by the casualness Sharon used in addressing her. “Well, I think you know what’s up”
Sharon laughed a bit “I do…just messing with you a bit is all; we need to have some fun with this or else we’ll go crazy”
“I think I already am crazy…that might be the best explanation for all of this…nonsense” Alana said. “I don’t even talk like myself anymore do you realize that”
“Yeah, I’ve noticed my speech patterns have changed along with everything else Mom”
Alana sucked in a deep breath through her nose at the constant reminders of their swap in positions “Is John home?”
“Yeah, he’s here…we just finished dinner” Sharon said not wanting to take it any further.
“I see” Alana answered “Have you had any chance to look for a way to reverse this?”
“I’m on my laptop but I’m coming up with nothing as of yet” Sharon said not that she had been looking very hard.
“Well you need to keep looking; I know I am” Alana said.
“I will; I promise”
“Well I just want to say once again that I am NOT happy about all of this” Alana said.
“Yeah, I know, I get it but until something comes up or else we figure something out, we’re stuck like this” Sharon told her. “I don’t understand why we did what we did or how we ever get back to how we were; don’t think I have all the answers to this because I don’t”
Alana took another deep breath “I know. I’m just frustrated and more than a little bit upset”
Sharon ran her tongue over her teeth as she watched John come into the room “I know Mom…listen I’ve got to go but I’ll look into that for you okay…love you bye” she said as she hung up.
For the next three months, both Alana and Sharon would search and come up blank on their searches on a way to reverse their change. Sharon stopped looking the morning she woke up sick to her stomach.
Sharon had really, really enjoyed her time with John over the last three months. But one morning, she woke up to smell of him making breakfast and it made her want to vomit.
Her loud retching drew his attention and as she lay on her side on the bathroom floor, she realized that several factors were lining up.
“Are you okay?” John asked as he came in on her rinsing out her mouth.
“Um…not really” Sharon replied.
“I heard you, I hope you’re not getting that bug that’s going around. Pam Jenkins next door just got over it and she said it was nasty”
“Yeah…I think I’m going to be okay to go to work” Sharon said. “But I think I’ll skip breakfast”
“Just take care of yourself” John said as he headed out for work.
Sharon sat on the edge of the tub, her right foot working up and down in nervousness as she clutched at her stomach. “Oh My God” she thought as she started up the water in the shower “What if…”
She got ready and dressed in jeans, a light rust colored sweater and brown flats and she made and extra stop at a CVS on her way into work.
She sat at her computer doing her IT job but her mind was flashing to a million other places. Finally, she grabbed her purse and took it with her into the ladies room. She brought out the item she had bought at the drug store; a pregnancy test and used it.
“I can’t be but yet I’m late and I’m sick. What if I am? How am I going to tell Alana…this conversation is what started this whole thing between us anyway…” she thought until she saw what she needed to see; a plus sign.
“What’s up?” Alana said answering her phone when she saw Sharon come up on the display. “You don’t usually call me at 10 A.M. on a Tuesday”
“We need to talk; in person and soon” Sharon said.
“Um okay, is there something wrong? Did you find a way to you know…” Alana asked hopefully.
“No, it’s not that; not at all is it that”
“Oh” Alana replied curtly.
“Can you meet me for lunch at Murphy’s?” Sharon asked.
“I can. Do you still take lunch at 12:30?” Alana asked.
“Yes, I’ll meet you then” Sharon told her “Bye” and hung up.
At 12:30, Alana came into the restaurant and saw that Sharon already had a table for them. She waved as she came over and plopped her bulky purse down beside her as she sat and fixed the black floral print dress she had on along with low black heels.
“Hey, glad you could make it” Sharon said quickly.
“Well it’s not every day you invite me to lunch; in fact, this is the very first time since we switched places” Alana reminded her. “I’ve barely seen you in the last three months, all you ever tell me when I call you is that you haven’t found anything, even though I must say that I doubt you’re trying very hard and why would you?”
“You’re very good at guilt trips…you’re a natural in fact” Sharon told her. “You really do sound like my Mother”
Alana smirked, her red lipsticked thin lips and narrow brown eyes showed her true feelings.
“Get it out of your system; it’ll make you feel better” Sharon said sitting back “I know I suck”
“Now don’t put yourself down, there’s no call for that but I understand why you might be more reluctant to change back as opposed to me in this scenario” Alana said.
Sharon just sighed; she hadn’t gone looking for a way to change back and she had been avoiding Alana as much as she could while still maintaining some contact and she figured she knew what was coming in a few moments so she let her vent.
They ordered iced tea and some food and once their drinks arrived, Sharon decided to drop the bomb. “So, I wanted you to be the first one to know this, even before John, because its…” Sharon began.
“No…” Alana responded her face going white.
“I, uh…” Sharon stammered having been interrupted.
“No, no…no way…are you? For the love of God are you going to tell me that you’re pregnant?!” Alana said trying to keep her voice down.
Sharon nodded “I am…at least I think I am. I took a home test today and it came up positive but I need to go to the doctor to verify it for sure” Sharon said nervously. “I mean, I’m late for my period and I got sick this morning when I smelled food being cooked”
“And you two have been of course fucking like rabbits” Alana said sarcastically.
“Really?” Sharon said knowing full well that Alana would be angry.
Alana began to smile and that really freaked Sharon out.
“Are you…okay?” Sharon asked.
Alana then began to laugh and a tear came to her eye “Oh my God you’re going to have a baby…” she said.
Sharon looked around, her eyes shifting back and forth.
“I…I can’t believe it…you’re pregnant” Alana stood up and came to Sharon’s side of the table. She leaned in and hugged her tightly and began to cry “This is so wonderful. I’m so happy for you and” she pulled back and with a big smile on her face said “And John is going to be ecstatic! He’s wanted this for so long!”
Sharon was flabbergasted; this was not at all how she expected Alana to react. She expected a huge scene full of anger and name calling but this was totally unexpected. She found herself being hugged and cried on instead of punched in the face.
The waitress came up with their salads and approached with caution.
“Oh don’t mind me just a proud soon to be Grandma here” she told the girl whose name tag read Carly.
“Congratulations!” Carly exclaimed.
“Thanks” Sharon said thrown completely off her game as Alana sat back down across from her.
After a minute she said “I didn’t think you’d react like that. I thought you’d be furious with me”
Alana looked directly across and into Sharon’s eyes and said “I’ve had a lot of time to think these last three months and bitterness got me nowhere. Let me be honest with you; I was really upset after this happened. I drank every night fuming about the situation I had been put into and what you had taken from me”
Sharon opened her mouth but Alana cut her off “Let me finish please”
Sharon nodded as she continued “Let’s be honest here; you got the better part of this deal; youth, husband…anyway, after it hit me that I might never go back and those years were lost I had to make a choice; either pull out a gun and stick it in my mouth or live”
Sharon’s mouth dropped open, while she had been having sex every night, Alana was off contemplating suicide.
“Not literally putting a gun in my mouth but you know what I mean…curl up and die or live the life I had so I decided to put one foot in front of the other and go on” Alana said. “The rest of the world sees us as Mother and daughter just not as we know it should be; life isn’t fair you know but besides developing a taste for good Scotch, my depressed phase has passed. So, now we can talk about you”
Sharon was still shocked and amazed by the way their lunch was going and found it hard to speak.
“And anyway, as I recall our conversation just before our swap occurred, you teased me about getting to watch you waddle around all big and pregnant and that’s exactly what I intend to do” Alana reminded Sharon.
“I did say that didn’t I?” Sharon said.
“This was your intent all along; to get pregnant. I wouldn’t do it…that’s the conversation that started all of this; joking about you taking matters into your own hands as it were and now here you are; you’ve definitely taken matters into something of your own”
Sharon put her hands palms side up “Well, here I am is right”
“Back aches…feet and ankles puffing up and hurting…baby sitting on your bladder and the nerves to your back and hips...weight gain…I love it” Alana told her.
“I’m glad you’re taking this so well” Sharon said.
“Oh I intend on being with you through all of this and then spoiling that baby to no end” Alana announced as their meals arrived.
They talked and Sharon found her voice more and more as they spent the hour in their booth. Alana got up first, smoothing out her dress once more “I’ve got to get back to work and I’m sure you do too…How’s Ann these days?”
“She’s fine” Sharon answered slipping out of her side too now.
“Good…I miss her. Let me know how it goes when you tell John” Alana said. She leaned over and pecked a kiss on Sharon’s cheek before turning and leaving.
Sharon could only shake her head.
John was so excited about the news that he could barely contain himself. He kissed and hugged Sharon and was already on the Babies R Us website 15 minutes afterward making up lists of stuff to buy. “I can’t believe it and I can’t wait! I love you so much honey” he told her.
Sharon went to an OB/GYN a few days later and the news became official even though she kept it to just the three of them for another 6 weeks just to be safe and outside of her first trimester.
By the time her stomach began to pop out even the smallest amount, John was already picking out themes for the nursery with Alana’s help.
Watching Alana and John smile and laugh and together was a mixed bag of emotions for Sharon; bittersweet in many ways but at 20 weeks when the ultrasound showed that they would be having a boy, it was Alana and John who painted the second bedroom a shade of pale blue.
“Thanks for helping me out Alana” John told her as they began to clean up their painting supplies.
“It was my pleasure” Alana said wiping her hands on her dirty jeans. She reached over and patted him on the shoulder with a smile “Your wife doesn’t need to be up doing things like this and don’t you ever hesitate to call me when you need help”
“Well you’re much better at trim when it comes to painting” John admitted.
“And don’t you forget it…it comes from years of painting my nails…I can concentrate on details” she laughed. “Oops” she said lifting up the front of her foot “I had to step my big toe into a drip” she said seeing a glop of blue paint on the bottom of her right big toe.
John tossed her a damp rag while laughing at Alana as she wiped off her foot.
“Looks good…I love it!” Sharon said standing in the doorway “You two did a good job”
“Thanks boss” Alana replied “We make a pretty good team” she said while thinking “We always did”
John lifted up Sharon’s shirt to reveal her small round belly. He put his hand on it and gave it a tender rub. Sharon had on a big t-shirt and a pair of lounge pants with the laces undone to accommodate her baby bump.
“Are you putting on much weight yet?” Alana asked.
“I’ve gained 14 pounds so far but 8 of those have been in the last two weeks” Sharon said.
“Baby is going through a growth spurt is all” John said kissing her “Besides…you’ve never been sexier”
Sharon blushed and slapped his shoulder as he went past and out of the room carrying the paint cans.
“Ignore him” Sharon told Alana.
“It’s okay…I think it’s cute that he’s attracted to you in pregnancy…it’s that motherly glow” Alana said.
“I’m just glad you’re here for all of this” Sharon said.
“I wouldn’t miss it” Alana told her.
After Alana had left, John snuck up behind his wife and hugged her, kissing her on the neck and nibbling at her ear.
Sharon squirmed a bit “You’re giving me goosebumps” she told him as he turned her around and kissed her full on the mouth.
“Your boobs are getting bigger” John whispered to her.
Sharon bit her lip as she pulled back embarrassed.
“I love it” John told her.
“Those are for the baby” she said.
“Not yet they aren’t” John said pulling up her shirt to kiss her breasts. His sexual appetite had not diminished one bit during pregnancy and neither had Sharon’s. She reached down and grabbed his erect penis and smiled before they rushed off to their bedroom.
Sharon steadily grew larger and larger, by week 30 her wardrobe was useless for the most part and maternity wear became her reality. She could also only wear three pairs of her shoes comfortably. Hot flashes and frequent trips to the bathroom were her norm now.
She loved to cuddle up behind John in bed and press her big belly into his back so he could feel the baby kick too “If he’s going to nail my kidneys, he needs to get yours too” she told him.
She was on top now every night as they continued their passionate sex drive. It was easier for her to hold her belly up and ride him than it was for him to angle his way in from the top.
As her due date got closer and closer, Sharon put on an extra 10 pounds near the very end and her feet ankles and hands began to swell to match her swollen belly but it didn’t deter John in the least. He seemed to be ready to follow the old wives tale that sex was the best way to induce labor.
“I’m three days past due” Sharon told Alana as they met at their salon for a mani-pedi before the big day. “I’m ready…he needs to come out” she said giving her stomach a little jiggle with her hands.
Sharon had picked out a bright turquoise blue for her color and she really enjoyed the pampering even apologizing to the lady who worked on her feet for their appearance “I’m so sorry…my feet are huge!”
“You’re not the first pregnant lady I’ve worked on honey” the nail tech assured her.
Alana went with much more subdued maroon color. The two had always done appointments together at the salon and they had resumed as the pregnancy progressed.
Sharon put her head back and relaxed as they finished up, she actually dozed off in the chair. “I’m so sorry” she said sitting up “I’m just so tired lately…this little guy is sucking the strength out of me” she laughed as she got up but suddenly sucked in a quick and sharp breath “Ow”
“What’s the matter dear?” Alana asked taking Sharon by the hand.
“I just felt a contraction” Sharon told her.
“Really?”
“Yeah…I’ve had a few over the last few days but nothing quite like that one” Sharon admitted. She hefted up her belly as Alana paid for them.
“I’m really feeling warm” Sharon said wiping her brow.
“Let’s get you back off your feet” Alana took Sharon under the arm to go to her car “You need to rest and…”
“Whoa God” Sharon said as she doubled over “That was real!”
“We’re going to the hospital” Alana announced helping Sharon into the passenger seat.
It was 10 minutes to the hospital and as they drove Alana called John.
Alana helped Sharon inside after paying for the valet parking service. She was still sitting in a wheelchair when John arrived 20 minutes later. “Why are you still sitting here?!” he exclaimed.
The nurse just chuckled “Settle down Dad…she’s got a long way to go”
“I can go” Alana said but Sharon clutched her hand tightly “No! You’re not going anywhere…I want you here with me”
Alana smiled sweetly and ran her hand along Sharon’s forehead “Of course…I didn’t want to impose”
Their eyes met and both women began to cry.
It would take 11 hours of labor and everyone was exhausted by the end but when little Brandon entered the world, John had a hold of Sharon’s right hand and Alana had her left.
John only got two weeks off for paternity leave so on the Monday morning 2 weeks later, Alana was at the house bright and early to help the still somewhat sore and tired Sharon.
Alana tiptoed in as the house was quiet at the moment. She wore a cream colored top and jeans after slipping out of her black flats.
Sharon was asleep in a rocking chair with Brandon resting on her chest. She opened her eyes and smiled before whispering “You can put him in his crib…my arm’s asleep”
Alana took him and carried him to his room where she laid him on his back.
“We were up a lot last night so he seems like he’s finally going to be down for a while” Sharon said standing up.
“You look good” Alana told her.
Sharon slouched and stared “Really…messy hair, bags under my eyes, still carrying about 10 extra flabby pounds in my stomach…my ankles and legs look about back to normal though”
“You’re gorgeous” Alana said with a dismissive wave of her hand that made Sharon smile. She no longer made what had been her signature hand move and seeing Alana do it brought back a wave of memories and emotions.
“Do you realize what today is?” Sharon asked.
“No I don’t think so” Alana replied picking up a soiled burp cloth.
“It’s been exactly one year today since we swapped lives” Sharon announced.
“It’s today…my word it is” Alana said. “Not that I had forgotten but it hadn’t hit me yet”
Sharon put her hands on her hips and stretched out her back.
“I guess I should say Happy Anniversary” Alana said picking up more laundry.
“A year…” Sharon said shaking her head “I can’t believe it’s been a whole year”
“Do you want me to make you some coffee?” Alana asked.
“Yes please” Sharon replied as she sat on the couch. She folded her right leg up underneath her body and let her left leg dangle down. She wore an old University of Wisconsin t-shirt with stains on the shoulders and a pair of loose red and black plaid lounge pants, her blonde hair was a tangled mess and she ran her fingers through it trying to get out the knots when Alana returned with two cups of coffee.
Alana took a seat in the chair across the way facing Sharon.
After a sip, Sharon looked over and asked “Do you still want to swap back?”
Alana took a sip and smiled looking down “Honestly, as happy as I am for you, yes, I do still want to switch back and become young again”
Alana looked down for a while afraid to look up; when she finally did, she found Sharon staring at her with a sympathetic smile on her lips “I honestly wish we could swap back too”
Alana looked a bit surprised.
“You deserve to get to experience all the years you lost. I did this once before and as awesome as this year has been…” she trailed off. “I wish we could swap back too” Sharon repeated.
They locked eyes and both thought “I wish I could swap ages with you again” as they both took a sip of their coffee.
Alana leaned in her chair but remained sitting straight “Still amazed it’s been a year already”
“You did get to see me waddle my way through a pregnancy too” Sharon added. “I really might want to consider switching back if we talk about having a second” she laughed.
Alana’s left shoulder itched and she reached her right arm and had up to scratch it. As she did, her arm brushed against her right breast and pushed something hard into the side of it. After scratching, her hand went to the hard circle in her shirt “What is this? Feels like a button or snap or something” she muttered to herself rolling it between her forefinger and thumb.
Alana pulled her shirt out and away from her bra and was confused by what she saw “What is this?” she repeated “I don’t have a bra like this?”
“What are you doing over there mumbling to yourself?” Sharon asked still lounging back. As she sat with her long leg dangling, her toes just brushed the top of the carpet.
“My bra…” Alana said. She put her hands beneath her breasts “Something’s wrong with my bra: It feels too big and there are snaps on the front of it and…”
“And?” Sharon said hanging on the word.
Alana looked down, her eyebrows knitted and her lips pursed. Suddenly, her breasts began to grow “Oh God!” she said a bit too loud.
Alana pulled the bra out and saw her nipples grow huge in her estimation; bigger than they had ever been before. “Ah!” she let out a quick exclamation as her breasts swelled up big, round and full “Jesus they hurt…they’re tender!”
“What is going on over there?” Sharon asked sitting up. As she did, Alana’s head swung up and they locked eyes.
Sharon’s head tilted gently to the right as she saw Alana’s expression of total shock; Alana’s mouth a round O of surprise but there was also something different about Alana’s face.
It took a second to register but as it did, Sharon’s hand moved slowly up to her mouth; Alana looked younger.
“Oh…My…God…” Sharon said standing up quickly.
Alana nodded slowly, her hands still firmly grasping her full and sore breasts. She gave them a squeeze and felt a bit of moisture ooze out; milk.
“Oh God” she whispered.
Sharon’s heart pounded inside her chest “What’s going to change on me first?” ran through her mind as her hands patted around her face. She felt a pinch on her earlobes and her big blue eyes widened as her fingers slowly went to her lower lobes where she found, for the first time in a year, earrings attached. Her fingers outlined the small gold hoops that were now in her ears.
“It’s…”Alana said.
“We’re…” Sharon said.
A single gray hair changed back to dark brown in Alana’s hair, then another and another and then more and more changed back to brown until her hair was a uniform dark brown again. She felt strands begin to grow down over her forehead filling in more and more until she sported thick bangs; her signature look as her hair grew out longer in the back and along the sides coming down over her shoulders and upper back.
Cautiously, Alana touched her mane of thicker hair and giggled “It’s back…my hair is back like it was” Evan as it grew slightly messier and frizzy showing what her life was becoming; she was going to be the new Mother suffering from a lack of sleep.
As grays appeared in Sharon’s hair they quickly turned back to a bottle fed shade of blonde. Her shade of blonde shifted and morphed from natural to chemically enhanced as it began to pull up higher and style itself more maturely again.
Sharon’s thick and long blonde hair pulled up into well done coif; styled and feathered and layer cut stopping at her ears thinner and more brittle too. She blinked as her blue eyes weakened and narrowed back down and slight bags formed beneath them “Back to reading glasses for me” she thought as a fuzziness replaced the previous sharpness in her vision.
Lines were creasing in across her forehead as her eyebrows thinned and around her eyes as her eye lashes did as well. The fat in her round cheeks dissipated and her cheek bones came out more prominently as light blush appeared on them.
Sharon’s nose thinned out across the bridge and her lips thinned as lines appeared at the corners. Red lipstick covered her thin lips as her teeth began to weaken and shift, yellowing a bit and now a bit crooked, she pursed her lips down tight to cover them.
Sharon’s hand came up to her mouth as her chin and jaw line weakened and dropped down; the slight wobble of a double chin beginning again on her again face.
The bags under Alana’s eyes didn’t disappear as she regressed in age; if anything, they darkened to show a lack of sleep on her youthful face. Her brown eyes spread out wide and her wire rimmed glasses chunked up to her old pair of heavy black plastic frames holding back her thick bangs.
Even beneath those bangs, Alana could tell changes were happening. She poked a finger up and ran it along her thick full eyebrows and over the smooth skin of her forehead as her brown doe eyes brightened and the lines at their corners faded and vanished. Her nose filled out and her cheeks rose up full and naturally rosy as any and all signs of make-up disappeared.
“We’re actually switching ages and lives back!” Alana said before running her tongue up over her teeth as they pulled and shifted around, strengthening, straitening and whitening as they did under lips that were plumping up with natural moisture and fat. Her chin jutted out and her jawline rose up taking any and all loose skin with it, smoothing out her face into that of a 29 year old young woman.
“It’s good to see my daughter’s face again” Sharon said as she came up off the couch and stood directly across from Alana still taller than her. She put her hands up and touched Alana’s cheek, gently running her finger over it.
“It felt so natural being older than you though” Alana admitted “I had gotten used to being older; to being YOUR elder” she emphasized as she pointed at Sharon even as she watched the skin on Sharon’s neck loosen and fold.
The gold necklace that Alana had on jumped between them appearing around Sharon’s neck. Sharon had bought the gold chain for Alana’s Grandmother Gift and had only given it to her the day after the baby had been born.
Alana’s neck tightened and smoothed out as their changes travelled downward. Alana felt her shirt loosen and flutter away as the white top changed into a grubby old t-shirt with the Wisconsin Logo on it and spit up stains on the shoulder. Her shoulders were rising up and her arm muscle were firming back into shape.
“But it wasn’t natural” Sharon said detecting even a change in the timber of her voice. It sounded slightly different to her ears “You know; I didn’t even realize how much my voice had changed when I got to be your age”
“Yeah…mine sounds, I don’t know, stronger again but I hadn’t noticed it changing so much the first time” Alana added. She looked at her arms as they continued changing “We must have been so overwhelmed by all the other changes that our voices slipped by”
“Ha” Sharon laughed covering her mouth. She spun and looked at herself in the mirror, frowning a bit at the familiar face reflected there before turning back. As her body changed, so did her clothes. They had on matching t-shirts along with matching chests; Sharon’s breasts were still swollen and large but that began to change as her shoulders dipped in. She felt her breasts constrict in a sudden movement that was followed by a slow but steady shrinking back to her original 36C breasts. Her skin on her chest began to roughen back up and small spots marking her age reappeared as she peaked down her shirt.
As her breasts shrank, her bra began to morph itself into a more appropriate size and function. She no longer would need to wear a nursing bra and with a pop, it changed into a basic white bra that fit her.
Her t-shirt collar dropped down as the material puffed up into a light cotton sweater. The sleeves dropped and covered her arms as her muscles began to drop and sag again, slackening as they aged.
“At least I’m covering up” Sharon said watching her clothes change in accordance with her body. She sighed and visibly sagged though when the changes reached her hands “No…I hate to lose my pretty hands and fingers again”
“Your hands are still very nice at 56” Alana said trying to cheer her up. Both Mother and Daughter took great pride and joy in their hands “We’ll still make time for our mani-pedi together”
Before the changes rippled through, Sharon felt weight fall against her left wrist as her watch reappeared but a tinge of sadness as the rings vanished off her left ring finger.
Alana gasped when her wedding band and diamond reappeared on her finger “I guess this means I’m Alana Watkins again”
“And I’m back to Cooper” Sharon said wiggling her bare fingers. The bright turquoise nail color began to darken and her nails thinned behind them. She had cut her nails shorter than usual after the baby had come but they were still thick and strong. Now, they were changing and the color swirled and whirled into maroon. Her cuticles came out slightly and the skin roughened around her fingertips.
Wrinkles and veins popped out more prominently around her knuckles and the backs of her hands. Sharon shook her head.
Alana’s hands tightened and her skin began to smooth out with less wrinkles; flawless skin appeared and her nail beds strengthened as her maroon nails flashed a bright turquoise blue. “Ooo” she gasped at the suddenness of the change in color. She flicked her forefinger nails off the soft pads of her thumbs feeling the pleasurable skimming sensation.
Alana’s hips shifted outward more than she remembered them “My body…?” she said.
“Your body is going to be different now…you’re a Mom now you know, you’re still changing in that regard too, it’ll take some time to get your body back in full” Sharon said.
“My stomach is flabby” Alana said lifting up her shirt to reveal her slight post pregnancy bulge.
“You just gave birth…nobody’s body comes back in just two week’s honey” Sharon said with a dismissive wave of her hand.
Sharon shocked herself with the use of her hand gesture and Alana laughed seeing her do it.
Alana’s stomach was no longer flat when she returned to it but she was determined to lose the baby weight as her ass grew larger and rounder again; plumping up a bit more than before as well. “Still a lot firmer” she told herself giving it a quick bounce.
The Mom jeans she had been wearing loosened around her waist and popped out into a pair of red and plaid lounge pants that pooled at the top of her feet “These are John’s pants I’m wearing”
“Yeah, borrowing your hubby’s clothes has become commonplace here recently” Sharon told her as her pants became a pair of tan slacks.
There was an instant comfort to the clothes that said Welcome Home to Alana. Her standard briefs began to slip and move on her as well and while she was in no condition to wear a thong, a pair of much tighter pair of hip boy shorts did come on to her body.
Their eyes met in a combination of wonder on Alana’s part and brief sadness for Sharon as they felt changes rocket through their very cores.
For Sharon, going from someone who had just gone through childbirth to becoming post-menopausal took her breath away quite literally. She felt a deep seated quiver that built into a full tremble that made her knees buckle and forced her to sit down. Her hands went to her midsection and pressed down firmly as her uterus flipped once and then shut down. The changes rocketed down through her and her hands moved down and pressed down again.
Sharon shuddered all over, quaking down to her turquoise painted toes. She paused motionless and slowly sat up straight as her nerve endings reset. She blinked, swallowed and looked at her daughter who was also now sitting with her eyes shut tight and her lips pursed.
To Alana, it felt like a punch in the gut. Everything tightened, loosened then tightened again. Her vagina hummed but she could tell it loosened up and her clitoris exploded awake, humming and buzzing, ripe and ready. Her uterus swelled and blood rushed through her body warming her all over.
She fanned herself as she sat down unable to stand any longer with her weak knees “I haven’t been touched sexually in a year” she thought suddenly. She closed her eyes and tried to control her breathing as a sexual awakening occurred in her body; a desire…a need.
“John won’t know what hit him tonight” Sharon said quietly.
Alana’s eyes popped open at the sound of her Mother’s voice “Mom” she said in a long drawn out and slightly embarrassed voice.
Sharon demurely dipped her chin and eyes downward. “Let me just say; your husband is really and I mean really turned on by a pregnant woman”
Alana’s cheeks flushed bright red “Maybe I’ll get to find that out on my own soon”
“You going for Irish Twins?” Sharon joked.
“No…I don’t think so…I feel kind of sore down there” Alana questioned.
“Yeah I did…it’s not recommended to get back in the saddle quite yet for a woman in your condition” Sharon advised.
“Mom?!” Alana said again as she felt her thighs plumping and growing larger and firmer inside her loose pants. Cellulite vanished and her skin thickened and firmed back up as her legs changed back to their youthful form.
Alana pulled the bottoms of her pants up exposing her shins and calves; she giggled and wiggled her knees back and forth watching the muscles tone and firm up creating a much more defined curve between ankle and knee.
Sharon kept her tan slacks down as she felt her leg muscles weaken and her legs thin. She didn’t need to see the spots and rougher skin reappear to know what was happening but the small veins that reappeared around her thicker ankles were confirmation that almost her entire body was back to where it belonged.
Sharon looked down at her bare feet; they were still smooth and delicate but she saw the skin building up on her heels and the sides were now looking rougher too. Veins appeared across the top and her toes took on a bonier appearance. Her nails thickened as the turquoise color swirled again into dark maroon. An ache settled into her right arch and when she dug in her heel and lifted up her toes, her ankle made a popping sound.
Alana still held onto her pant legs as she watched her old and bony feet rejuvenate. Her heels softened and the tops of her feet smoothed out. Her long skinny toes plumped back up a bit and her nails flattened out as the turquoise splash appeared across them. She drummed her toes up and down before she did a little happy dance with her youthful looking and feeling feet. She let go and her pant legs cascaded back down to the tops of her feet.
Sharon and Alana both shuddered involuntarily as an electric current made a brief run up and down their bodies. They locked eyes and knew it was over; they were back to their rightful ages and lives.
Alana let out an exhausted sounding sigh. Sharon stood up and smoothed out her top and pants and walked over to her daughter. She took both of her hands in her own and clasped them tightly taking in how much younger Alana’s looked compared to hers now. Nothing needed to be said between them they both simply nodded and began to cry.
Their crying must have sent off a shockwave through the house because no sooner than they had started, Brandon joined in heartily from the next room.
Alana began to stand up but Sharon motioned for her to sit back down. Sharon went after the baby and instincts began to kick into high gear for Alana “I want to hold my baby” she thought. She propped herself up on the couch getting a pillow under her left arm and tossing her hair back out of the way.
Sharon went in and her heart melted looking at the boy. She picked him up gently and put him up to her chest patting him on the back. She laid him down on his changing table and changed his diaper but she knew he wanted something else that she could no longer give to him.
His tiny mouth worked up and down as she walked out to the living room with a smile. Alana already had her shirt hiked up and her nursing bra open. She put her hands and arms out to him and taking him, pulled him in close where he knew to latch on.
Alana shut her eyes as she felt her breasts milk begin to flow against the suction he was providing. “Drink up little guy…Momma’s here and in no hurry” Alana said.