“Ok, um, Grandma” Mary said “Or should I just call you Nana?”

“Either one will do” Katie smiled.

She looked down and noticed that the ring was no longer glowing, it was a solid silver but it was now at rest. She reached for her purse while saying “I do have one more surprise for you”

“What could you possibly still have for me?” Mary pleaded “You’ve done more than I could ever have asked anyone for, I…what is that? Is that a…?”

Katie laughed “Don’t go thanking me yet for this little number Ha-Ha!” She twirled the small black garment around on her index finger “Woo! Shake it don’t break it!” she said as she flung the thong toward Mary.

“Oh shit” Mary said “Really? You brought me ass floss Grandma?!” she joked.

“You know it!” Katie was cracking up “You’ve got the ass for it!”

“My God…I’ve never worn a pair of those things…” Mary began.

“Well you’re going to tonight cause I ripped the pair I had on when I got your behind and hips” Katie informed her “And you certainly don’t want any panty lines ruining your dress do you?”

“Well” Mary smiled her bright wide smile “I guess not”

She took down her granny panties and undid the big padded bra she had been wearing as an old woman “These will have to take a little break won’t they?”

“I’ll take ‘em” Katie said “I definitely need them; nobody needs to see this body flapping around out in the breeze”

As Katie slipped on the comfortable underwear, she kept her eye on the now naked Mary. It was a body she knew well but yet had never seen from this perspective and angle. “You can learn a lot about yourself by seeing it through a different person’s eyes”

“That’s true” Mary agreed. She was examining her new body intensely; pressing and prodding, posing and posturing. “I can’t believe this; I still just can’t believe this is actually happening” she said now speaking fully with Katie’s voice “This is actually me now; I’m 20 and I’m so damn tall!” she laughed “I mean, I’ve never seen anything from this height; it puts everything differently”

“I know what you mean” Katie said “Everything looks bigger to me” She looked down and sloshed her belly “You too”

Katie worked up the courage to take off her top. She merely gave a knowing smile and nod to her stomach and her sides and to her larger breasts barely hidden by her hanging bra. “Hello ladies” she addressed them and gave them a quick squeeze.

Mary blushed.

“They feel right to me; comfortable in a way” Katie said. She took the bra off and tossed it aside as she put on the one Mary had just discarded.

A thought flashed through Mary’s head “Glad you’re comfortable in it because this one feels so much better” She felt selfish for even thinking it but it was there nonetheless.

“Clock’s ticking Cinderella” Katie said “You get longer than midnight but remember, there is a time limit”

“I know” Mary said “I would have taken just until midnight but a week!” her voice went up in excitement and she jumped up happy that it didn’t hurt when she landed.

Katie put on the black slacks, feeling them cling to her thighs as she pulled them up into place and put on the flowered blouse simply happy to be dressed.

“Showtime” Mary said as she pulled up the thong “This isn’t right…this can’t feel like this…does it?” she turned around and put her round firm ass before Katie.

“That’s correct” she replied “Never said it was comfortable”

“I guess not” Mary said shimmying her hips. She licked her lips as she pulled out the little black dress. She put it on and smoothed it out, astonished with how it fit her curvaceous frame. It clung to her hips and stopped at mid-thigh. She adjusted her boobs in the cups and made sure the spaghetti straps were straight “Oh My God” she murmured seeing her reflection in the mirror across the room “I’m gorgeous!”

Katie bowed her head and took off her earrings. She came over and fussed with Mary’s hair, fluffing it out and running her fingers through it making sure it looked right.

Mary took out her pearl studs with a smirk. They exchanged earrings and put in their new pairs “Now before you go out, we need to talk” Katie told her “I need to fill you in on who some people are and how you’re going to interact with them”

They sat next to each other on the couch, Mary with her knees together, much longer than she was used to and so smooth that she kept looking at them. She paid attention though as Katie ran through all the contacts on her phone.

“I think I’ve got this” Mary said as Katie handed over her phone to her.

“Feels like I’m giving you every connection in my life as I hand this over; it’s like Excalibur”

Mary laughed and rocked back.

“You should probably get going” Katie said, her voice cracking just briefly. “But it was so nice of you to come and see me on my Birthday”

Mary stood up “I don’t know what to say”

“You don’t have to say anything now; just get going and have the time of your life Katie” Katie told her smiling as she stood up.

They hugged each other tightly. Mary broke it off and slipped on the black flats Katie had worn in. They fit her feet perfectly before grabbing the box with the heels in it “No way I’m driving in those” she shook her head.

“Smart girl” Katie told her.

Mary giggled, jumped and went out the door practically running to Katie’s car. She tossed the box on the passenger seat, started it up and backed out.

Katie watched from the window as she pulled away “Be careful” she said watching her body leave.

She looked around the house; her house. She strolled through the rooms looking at the pictures “It looks so different to me now” she thought. The house had been part of Katie’s whole life but never like this. She spun the ring on her middle finger absent-mindedly as she went through the house. Little things she had never really paid attention to before jumped out at her now as she put herself into her new position.

“I’m my Mom’s Mom” she realized “This is the body that gave birth to Mom and Uncle Rick…I have grandkids!” she felt a different type of love in her heart and small snippets of her grandma’s life appeared in her mind. Things she wasn’t present for, things that had happened decades before her birth. She didn’t get a full memory but wisps of them had come over with the body “Interesting” she thought.

As Mary drove to her apartment just off campus, faces came up to her in her mind. Faces she had seen on the phone but now she saw moments where she was interacting with those people “Interesting” she thought.

She pulled in and went inside. Mary had only been to the apartment of her eldest granddaughter once but yet when she went in, she knew where everything was immediately. Her roommate wasn’t home and she went into the bathroom to put on a little bit f make-up.

Mary stared deep into the brown eyes that reflected back. She studied the face “My face” she said even as the internal clock ticked away in her head “I could never keep this” she told herself “As tempting as it is…I can only imagine how attached to this life I’ll be in a week”

After bouncing her way around the apartment and getting a drink of water, she sat down on the broken down couch and pulled out the strappy heels with a sigh “Time to get you on”

She wiggled her toes again “Still can’t get used to seeing black nail polish on my own body” She ran her fingers over the slick surface of her toe nails.

Mary slipped her foot into the heel, feeling the straps slide over her toes and the tops of her feet. Her toes settled at the end and she fastened the ankle strap before repeating it with her left shoe. She stood up easier than she thought she would and walked across the room “Not bad for not wearing heels in the last 25 years…it comes back like riding a bike”

Mary stopped in front of a full length mirror on the back of her bedroom door “God…my legs and ass look fantastic!” she told herself. She gazed at the image and then down at herself “This will never not amaze me…” she said shaking her head and lifting up her toes at the ends of her 4 inch heels “I’m 6 feet tall right now…Jesus…how wild is this?” then her stomach flipped and fluttered as she thought about what else this body might lead her to tonight if everything went right.

Her roommate Emily came in “Hey! You ready!” she yelled out.

“Yeah!” Mary said coming out of her room.

“You look sweet!” Emily said.

“So do you” Mary shot back as she grabbed a clutch purse and followed her out to Emily’s car.

The music was deafening from the moment Mary stepped out of the car. Even in the driveway it was loud to her “Oh God, how am I even going to hear anybody?” she thought but realized her hearing was better now, much better and as she walked up to the house, her ears were adjusting already.

“Hey what’s up girl?” she said spontaneously to a girl she recognized as Gina. They chatted for a minute before a drink was thrust into her hand. Taking a generous swallow and tasting a mixture of vodka and pineapple juice and something else, she shrugged and kept drinking.

Mary made her way through the rooms talking to a bunch of people Katie knew obviously pretty well. She faked it as best she could by staying vague and pulling from the few trace memories she had inherited. It really wasn’t much as she pulled them all together; enough to get her by but by no means did she think herself an expert on all things Katie.

“Hey Kate!” she heard a male voice call out behind her left ear. She spun and saw a man standing before her.

“Hey Chase” she replied genuinely happy seeing him. Something flipped inside her brain that also made her stomach flip “I was hoping I’d run into you tonight”

“Wouldn’t miss it” Chase replied.

Mary eyed him up and down and decided she liked what she saw. He was taller than her even in her heels. He had dark hair and a well-trimmed beard. His deep green eyes excited her, not to mention that she could make out his muscles through his tight Henley style shirt.

Mary’s eyes wandered further south to the front of his jeans and her stomach rose up again.

Another drink from Emily came in her hand along with a wink and a smile. She simply smiled back and mouthed “Thanks”

A few more drinks went down as she talked with Chase by the windows at the front of the house. Finally, he managed to ask “Would you like to go back to my place?”

“Yes!” she said a bit too enthusiastically.

She got into his car and made sure the hem of her skirt rode up a bit higher than it should until she caught his eyes lingering on her thighs.

Mary leaned toward him, making sure her dress plunged down on top to give her maximum cleavage “Do you have a roommate?”

“Yeah” Chase responded “But he’s still at the party”

“Good” she replied.

The door was barely closed behind them at Chase’s apartment when Mary said to herself “Fuck it!” and she went in for a deep kiss.

Chase didn’t resist at all. He pressed back, kissing her before whispering “Oh God…you don’t know how long I’ve wanted this but I was afraid you’d say no”

“Don’t be silly” Mary said trying to play it cool. “I was afraid you’d think me too forward”

“No…no way” he said running his hands over her arms and shoulders.

“Then shut up and let’s do this!” she laughed.

They both moved in closer and began to kiss again. Mary ran her fingers through Chase’s hair as his hand came to rest on her hip and he held her close.

Tasting him was heaven to Mary “I haven’t felt like this in years!” she thought jubilant.

A deep seated ache was forming between her legs. She reached down and took his shirt off of him “Mmm” she purred seeing his bare chest. She lifted up her dress, taking it up and off for him.

“Wow” he said softly seeing her now in just her thong and heels.

“You like?” she asked.

“Oh yeah” he replied and went back to her, their tongues flittering and flicking, passionately kissing each other.

Chase undid his pants and Mary bent down and unclasped her ankle straps to kick off her shoes. She dropped in height and actually liked looking up further to him. She giggled slightly as she playfully grabbed for his erect and throbbing penis. “Give it to me” she teased.

He leaned forward though and gave each of her nipples a long slow kiss, sucking on them slightly to puff them up wide awake.

Mary moaned in pleasure, her knees were quaking and her body was throbbing in anticipation. She ran her hands over his muscular chest and up to his face and over his cheek. She pulled him in again to kiss him. “I can’t get enough of you…” she told him.

He smirked and led her to his bedroom a few steps away. Once in, he closed the door and she lay down on the bed. As she moved back towards the headboard, he crawled between her legs and put his tongue to work.

Goosebumps broke out across her flesh, her spine tingled as he licked her clit and gently fingered her, working her into a frenzy. As he backed up, she pounced and pushed him onto his back and as he lay flat, she took his penis into her mouth and sucked, driving him crazy.

After a few seconds, she pulled back. He reached past her and into the nightstand “Thank you” she said as he got out a condom “And to show my appreciation, let me put that on you”

Mary took the condom and placed it against her lips where she slid it down and onto him before moving back. Their eyes met and she lay down as he slid into position atop of her.

As he penetrated her, Mary gasped and moaned in pleasure again “Oh God…that feels so good”

“I know” was all he could say as he began to thrust.

“Don’t go yet” she said as she saw him concentrating.

Chase said nothing as Mary thought “Kids…still learning how to do this” she grabbed the base of his penis and squeezed “This’ll help you last longer” she told him.

She held on for a few seconds before letting him go back to work. Her right hand held onto his back while her left began to work on top, rubbing her clit.

A few seconds later, she broke out in a cold sweat “Oh God” she said as her muscles tensed up. Her legs and hips locked before a body racking spasm shook her “Oh god!” she said louder as she orgasmed just before he did as well.

Chase stiffened up and she could feel him pulsating inside of her but felt none of the warmth from him “Thank God the condom worked!” she thought joyously.

Mary’s body came alive in ways like she hadn’t felt in years. Her legs clamped down around Chase as her muscles tensed and released “Oh…” she said finally easing back, her head swimming, her body electric.

She laughed as Chase eased back and rolled off of her. She wiped the sweat from the underside of her boobs “So glamourous” she said to his laughter.

“Oh I’m hot now” she said.

“You’re always hot Katie” he told her and kissed her again.

“You’re sweet” she replied. She ran her hands up and down her inner thighs, glistening still.

Chase went into the bathroom while Mary lay back “Thank You Katie!” she screamed in her head. She glimpsed the clock and saw it was just a few minutes before 1 in the morning “Guess I missed midnight Cinderella, but I’m also guessing you’ve been asleep for hours now”

Chase came out and Mary went in. She closed the door behind her and danced with delight barely managing to hold in her squeals of joy.

She sat and peed and knew that nothing had made its way through before looking at herself in the mirror.

The young face and long brown hair made her smile when she saw them looking back at her “This wasn’t a dream; it really happened” she told herself “You. You turned into Katie and this is just day one…make the most of this week” she told herself.

She came back in, still naked but complaining she was cold. Chase got her a long sleeved shirt of his and she quickly put it on, enjoying how it felt and smelled on her. The bottom came halfway down her thighs as she curled up next to him and dozed off.

Mary was right though, her old body with Katie inside of it had been asleep for hours.

Katie had wandered around the house before deciding to make herself something to eat. She ate at the table, it just felt right for her to instead of her usual of sitting in a chair and playing around on her phone.

Her Grandma had a laptop and after she ate and cleaned up her dishes she went into the living room and got on it.

After a few minutes though, Katie grew frustrated with it. She couldn’t type as fast and the small screen hurt her eyes. She shut it off, turned on the TV which was already set to CNN and put her feet up.

“Oh that feels so good” she said letting her weight just settle. Her feet felt warmer once they were elevated and she thought they looked a bit puffy and swollen.

She flipped to an episode of Big Bang Theory but found she could barely keep her eyes open so at 8:30, Katie decided to head to bed.

She found herself in the bathroom running a sink full of warm water to wash off her face. She took out a make-up removing wipe but paused before she put it to use. She looked at her reflection; really looked at her reflection.

“I’m old” she told herself. Her bottom lip quivered just slightly and she felt just a little welling in her eye “It’s only for a week Katie; Grandma deserves this; you did the right thing swapping with her” she told herself.

“I know” she answered her own thought “But look at me…I’m old” she took in the lines around her eyes and lips, the sallowness in her cheeks, the loose skin at her neck and her double chin.

She wiped off her lips and cheeks and around her eyes, then put a wash cloth in the water to warm up while she removed her blouse and slacks.

“Lord of mercy” she said looking at her soft, elderly body “I can’t believe this…this isn’t a dream. Remember, this is actually happening. You’re going to wake up tomorrow morning still in Nana Mary’s body…make it through this week without losing yourself”

She spun the ring around her finger, her knuckle was swollen enough that she couldn’t have removed it anyway but it would stay for the week, if only to remind her of what was waiting for her to return to.

She removed her bra but left on the underwear as she took her nightgown down off a hook on the back of the door and put it on.

She washed her face and brushed her teeth, taking in how different her mouth felt.

Luckily, she was out and snoring minutes after getting into bed.

Mary’s eyes opened slowly. Her mind seemed foggy but not for its usual reasons and her body ached in a different location than normal. Her knees, shoulders and back all felt fine; the ache was between her legs and the fog in her head was accompanied by cotton mouth. The long brown tendrils of hair across her face reminded her of what had happened in the last 18 hours.

Now her eyes flew open “Holy Shit!” her mind kicked into high gear immediately. She flipped onto her back and found she was alone in bed, but for a second, she didn’t know what bed.

“Chase” she thought as she sat up. The apartment was quiet; too quiet. She saw a note on a pile of her clothes at the end of the bed.

“I am so sorry! I forgot I had to be at work early today but I didn’t want to wake you. Last night was incredible, I hope I can see you again real soon. I’ll text you soon; Chase”

“Oh God” she said running her hands through her hair. “I’m alone in some dude’s apartment” she realized and my choice of clothing sucks.

She pulled out her phone and Google maps. She was actually only a block from her own apartment “I think I’ve heard this called the walk of shame” she told herself as she put on her thong and her dress. She kept his shirt though on over top and carrying her heels in one hand and her clutch purse in the other, Mary walked home barefoot.

Katie woke up with her mind in a fog, thoughts were disjointed and her body ached all over. She had learned another downside of aging last night; getting up twice in the middle of the night because she had to pee.

She took a deep breath before she opened her eyes. The smell of the house reminded her of what had happened yesterday and what would still be hers once she opened her eyes.

Sure enough, once she opened her eyes, the room was blurry and she reached for her glasses to clear things up for her. She saw her saggy arms as she hefted her body up with some effort. Her back seized, her shoulders protested and her knees clenched up as she swung out and slipped her feet into the fuzzy slippers she found bedside.

Katie stood and stretched out her back, hearing the pops and feeling alternating sensations of relief and numbness “Joey has a soccer game at 10” she thought. “I should go and cheer him on.

Joey was Katie’s 5 year old cousin and he would be thrilled to see Grandma there in the crowd. It was only a few minutes after 6 so she knew she had plenty of time.

Katie made some coffee and got in her newspaper “Still delivered huh” she thought as she sat down to read it and sip her drink. She watched the morning news before making her way back to shower and get dressed.

Katie was feeling everything differently being her Grandma. The aches and pains of age were hers now. Once she got moving, it wasn’t so bad and she was getting used to it but it was the getting going that was the rough part. “Stiff joints and little aches everywhere and I haven’t even done anything but sleep” she told herself as she prepared to see her reflection again as she went into the bathroom.

“There you are” she said to the mirror. The visage of a woman in her mid-sixties greeted her “Hello Mary…Hello Me” she said.

Looking down at the loose collar of her nightgown she saw the wrinkled skin of her breasts and thought back to how they should look “Friday seems a long way away. I wonder how the party went last night”

Katie disrobed and started up the shower but found the water too hot once she stepped in. It stung her skin and she had to keep it at a cooler setting.

Scrubbing up an entirely different body was eye opening for her despite the fact that her eyes were blurry now without her glasses. Working on touch and feel, scrubbing her wide hips and abundant ass, feeling her stomach and arms jiggle as well as all the loose skin on her inner thighs “This really lets me know just how different my body is” she said to herself.

She brushed her teeth and put on her usual light make-up before she explored her wardrobe options.

The only colors in underwear and bras were white, beige and black. Katie sighed but took out a pair. She knew her Grandma had jeans someplace and after a search of the drawers she found them; loose and elastic waist banded for maximum comfort and zero fashion. She picked out a light blue sweater, some socks and her New Balance tennis shoes. After adding a windbreaker “I’m always chilled in this body” she was ready to go to the game.

Mary’s bare feet padded their way along the sidewalk as she walked home. Chase’s roommate wasn’t there so she had escaped without a conversation and now she would be home in a few minutes.

A few houses and apartment buildings dotted the streets around campus and it was just up one street, around a corner and back down to her building.

She climbed the stairs and opened her door to find Emily and her boyfriend Jason laying on the couch. “Shit…what are you two doing up?” she said upon entering.

“Not doing the walk of shame, I can tell you that much” Emily laughed “Fun night?”

Mary slouched and dropped her shoes, letting them hit the ground and bounce away; her hair a tangled mess, her face slightly puffy and her oversized shirt pulled down at her shoulder exposing her dress straps “Yeah” she answered and walked past.

In her room, she looked at a schedule pined to the wall “I have to be at work at 3…I can sleep” she decided and lay face down on her bed.

Katie made her way to the fields outside the elementary school. She carried her folding chair up and sat down on the sidelines. Instantly, Joey saw her, ran to her, and gave her a hug “Grandma! I’m so happy to could come to my game!”

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world Honey” she told him “You know I’m so proud of you, now go listen to your coach and score a goal for me!” she added with a smile.

“Hey Mom” she heard as chairs came down around her.

“Morning Ricky!” she told her Uncle/Son. Rick was Katie’s Uncle, her Mom’s younger brother but now… “I had to see our little star in action this morning”

“Glad to see you could make it” Rick’s wife Renee said sitting down and taking out a huge travel mug of coffee.

“Well it’s only his second game and since I was working for his first one; I knew I wouldn’t miss this one” Katie told them smiling and patting Renee on the hand.

The game was a typical group of 4, 5 and 6 year olds running around in circles. Katie laughed and cheered and clapped through it all though, especially when the goalie was busier playing around and getting tangled in the net and Joey scored a goal.

After the game, she took all three of them out to lunch. Her conversations just flowed out of her. She kept things vague and let Joey do most of the talking about school and sports.

Then she went to run a few errands.

Katie went to the grocery store. She had found her Grandma’s list and knew she did this chore every Saturday anyway. Bland and healthier foods were on the list and Katie decided to stick with them “No Doritos for me this week” she told herself.

When she got to the aisle with the boxed rice, she saw the size she wanted up on the top shelf. Katie walked over put her am up and, “Oh…” she said not able to reach it.

She rose up on her tip toes and still couldn’t get her fingers around the edge of the box “Stupid short little legs! Stupid short arms!” she thought.

“Excuse me Ma’am” she heard a male voice come up behind her “Let me help you with that”

A young man around 20 walked up and towering over her, easily grabbed the box down and handed it to her.

“Thank you” she said blushing. The 20 year old part of her brain thought the guy was hot but in her current state, there was nothing else she could say.

“You’re welcome Ma’am” he said before grabbing his own item and walking off.

“Could I get your number?” she thought frustrated “Can I show you a picture of my Granddaughter?” ran through her mind as she watched him walk off in his tight jeans.

“Damnit” she muttered under her breath “I really hope you’re having fun Grandma” she continued on her errands.

Mary woke back up around 1. She went into the bathroom and finally took off her mismatched clothes “Ugh!” she moaned as she reached for aspirin and downed three of them. She glanced into the mirror and smiled in spite of herself “Hey Katie!” she said to herself “What’s up girl?!” she added as her hand went to her front and ran down remembering the night before, feeling a tingle run through her nubile body.

Showering was an eye opening experience for her. Her long legs, tight ass and pert boobs soaping up along with washing out her super long hair made her jealous of what Katie would have back in now less than a week. “Don’t think like that!” she scolded herself “This isn’t yours permanently”

As she dried off, she found a robe and wrapped her hair up in a towel to dry. She found some peanut butter in the kitchen and ate it with a spoon while she checked all of her social media accounts; liking Instagram posts and tweets from the night before while curled up on the couch.

She brushed her teeth and pulled up hair up in a top knot once it was dry before getting ready for work. She opened up Katie’s drawers and smirked at the array of colors and styles available to her “I’ve never had a collection like this…different generation…”

Victoria’s Secret panties and a bra went on under her burgundy colored scrubs and she was off to work.

Katie had always described her job at the nursing home as “wiping butts and feeding them jello” but to Mary, it was a lot more than that.

By the time Mary left her shift, she was exhausted and a bit depressed. She had spent 6 hours helping out men and women not much older than her. She had changed sheets and helped them in and out of wheelchairs and to and from the bathrooms and had helped all through dinner services and while being able to lift them up easily using Katie’s body was great, there were people she recognized from church and around town as residents she was now caring for.

Mary was thankful for her minor aches and pains and her overall health after seeing people far worse off than her; it had hit her hard.

But not so hard that when she got home and found Emily, Gina, and Zoe waiting for her to go out drinking, she forgot about work and readily said “Yes!”

Now dressed in platform sandals, tight black pants and a bright blue tank top, Mary was ready for the bars. She went into her wallet and pulled out her license only to find a second license tucked behind it that showed her birth year as 1995 instead of 1997 “OMG! I have to use a fake I.D. to drink tonight!”

She smiled “I don’t know about you…but I’m feeling 22!” she sang the Taylor Swift song snippet as she came out of her room ready to go as an odd thought popped into her head “Why do I know that song?”

Mary was served her drink with no questions asked after she flashed her I.D. and after 3 of them, she found herself on the dance floor moving like she had never moved before.

The moves just came to her; she just knew them and did them fitting in with every other college girl who was out there even though she had never danced like that or ever dreamed she would dance like that.

Guys and girls came and went; Mary knew them and called them by name recalling her lesson with Katie or holding onto the vague passing thoughts she had inherited with the body.

It was another stumbling walk home though and she lost her shoes halfway there. She dropped the sandals next to her heels from the night before she made it to her room. She stripped down and basically passed out in just her panties.

Meanwhile, Katie had finished her errands and come back to find a movie on AMC that caught her attention. Seeing it on a large screen helped her eyes, she couldn’t picture watching movies on a phone right now “I’d never see the details” she told herself.

She read, made herself a salad for dinner and turned in early again. And while Mary was snoring away, she got up on Sunday morning and got ready to go to church.

It just felt like what she should do “Everyone would be worried about me if I didn’t go” she told herself as she put on her makeup, did up her hair and got dressed in a tan blouse, a long brown skirt and brown flats “And besides, I go out to lunch and then play cards with Linda, Diane and Sue”

She had her whole planned out and was happy for it “It’ll keep my mind grounded” she told herself once again spinning the ring on her middle finger.

As she read her paper and waited, she was up early again and church didn’t start until 10:30, she spun the ring on her finger “What if I took this off?” she thought “What if I refused to change back? What if I offered to stay like this for Mary? What if I became Mary permanently and she became me?”

She knew the countdown couldn’t be stopped, they would change back but it was still something that ran through her brain “What if something goes wrong and it doesn’t work and we don’t change back? What if I really am stuck here?” The thought frightened her yet deep down, down in a place at the darkest recesses of her mind; it kind of intrigued her, even excited her. If not for her, for her Grandma. “What if she got to stay…had to stay in fact…there was no way back for us and she got to live out my life as her own…what would she do?”

Katie shook if off and got going about her day.

Mary woke up with yet another headache and another round of foggy mouth “I’ve got to stop this” she told herself as she got up. She showered and dressed in a pair of sweatpants and a loose old t-shirt that had her college logo, a ram, on it.

She texted as she read some pages for class on Monday and finished up a paper Katie had started. By dinnertime, she was starving and knew her meal card was empty until Monday when her monthly stipend would kick in and reload it. “I can always bum a meal at Mom’s” she blushed immediately “I mean Lori’s…”

She drove to her daughter’s house but knew it would be vastly different for her once she went inside. “It’s now your Mom and Dad and brothers and sisters…not daughter and son in law and grandchildren” she reminded herself.

Mary was very casual as she let herself in through the back door and kicked off her shoes “What up people?” she announced her presence.

“There’s my little girl” her Dad/Son in law Wayne said.

“Hey Dad” she replied and gave him a quick hug and peck on the cheek.

“How’s school going?”

“Fine” she replied.

“But you’re out of money on your meal card and you’re hungry right?” he teased her with a knowing look.

“I can’t hide anything from you can I?” she replied and sat down across from him on the couch. “I know, I know…pace yourself and all…I still have a dollar on it” she admitted.

“Your Mom’s got a casserole in the oven already; she should be back with your sister any minute; they ran to Target” her Dad said.

“Where’s Ryan?” she asked about her Grandson/Brother.

“He’s at Tyler’s house playing PlayStation” Wayne replied.

They chatted about school and her job and then his job until Lori and Abby came in.

Seeing her daughter come in gave Mary a jolt. A whole new mixed bag of feelings rose up in her mixing her own and Katie’s feelings together. “Hey Mom” she said.

“Hey mooch” she teased “Out of money again”

Mary blushed and shook her head. Her 15 year old sister nodded but said nothing as she typed away on her phone.

Mary’s matronly feelings welled up but she pushed them down in favor of Katie’s more laid back attitude. She couldn’t show Abby any affection in this body.

She went up to Katie’s room; still filled with her stuff and still had a bed for her. Mary looked through her high school yearbooks and took in the pictures around the room. There were still a few clothes here, Homecoming dresses and older stuff that didn’t really fit her anymore but they did spark a few more memories.

She spun the ring on her middle finger and smirked “What if I took this off? What if I didn’t have to switch back? What would I do…I could live this life. I could finish up college. Get a better job than I ever had…date and pick a guy to marry and do it all over again…what if…”

She slipped the ring off; it came off easily and she bounced it in the palm of her hand.

Across town, Katie squirmed and her ears started burning as she played a hand in Euchre with Diane as her partner.

Mary gazed out the window; she placed the ring on the desk next to her and she looked at her bare hand and fingers “What if; for some unknown reason, it didn’t work and we didn’t switch back for no fault of either of us…say the magic just isn’t there and Katie was mistaken. We don’t swap back…next Friday comes and even though we’re sitting there together; nothing happens…what would she do? What would I do?” she thought.

“I could never willingly take this from her permanently but what if we just simply don’t swap back?” Mary thought. She was still lost in thought when she heard her Mom call out “Dinner’s ready!”

She slipped the ring back on and went down to eat “I’m starving” she announced coming down the stairs.

Katie looked out the window of her friend Sue’s house. Something had made her shiver and it wasn’t a draft of cold air. She straightened her fingers and glimpsed at her ring “That’s such a cute ring, is it new, where’d you get it?” Linda asked.

Katie smiled “It was actually a birthday present from my Granddaughter Katie” she said to a collection of ah’s and oh’s “She came over on Friday to see me on my birthday and gave me this…isn’t that sweet?”

“It’s adorable and so thoughtful of her” Diane said “She’s always been such a good girl”

Katie blushed, her own feelings mixing up with her Grandma’s sense of pride in her.

As she drove home after her afternoon, Katie realized that she was feeling more and more of Mary’s feelings as time went by; the two of them were becoming one. She knew Mary would be experiencing the same thing on her end; thinking and feeling more and more like Katie naturally did.

She thought about calling Mary but decided she didn’t want to bother her as she settled in for the evening to rest up for work in the morning.

Mary had class at 8 on Monday morning but a text from Chase while she was finishing up dinner had told her she wouldn’t be getting the best night’s sleep tonight.

She drove to his place and felt the familiar ache begin between her legs.

They hung out for a while before she attacked him. Jumping on him and straddling him with her legs as she kissed him and held onto the sides of his face. She lifted her shirt and bra up so he could easily access her breasts, which he massaged and kissed making her toes curl.

She kissed up and down his body as they made it last longer this time. Mary ended up on her knees with him behind her, taking her from behind. She had supplied the condom this time and prayed once again that it would work “Different from your usual praying on a Sunday” she laughed inside her head “I’m even on my knees!”

She would have burst out laughing but for biting her bottom lip and calling out for him to go deeper.

She arched her back and sweat broke out across her chest as she came shortly after he had tensed up behind her.

They both collapsed to the bed exhausted but feeling alive as they caught their breath.

As Monday morning dawned, Katie awoke and knew she had to go to work. Getting up wasn’t as much of a struggle. She still felt the aches and pains of age but she was adjusting and adapting and getting used to being her Grandma’s age.

She shuffled to the bathroom in her fuzzy slippers. Part of her new routine as Mary was taking medication twice a day. Pills for high blood pressure and cholesterol as well calcium, a vitamin and an estrogen enhancer were all swallowed down. There was a note on her calendar that she had a doctor’s appointment tomorrow and Katie was really interested to see what that brought. “Checking out my body; her body…what’s really inside…how deep did this go?”

Katie fell into her routine, making her coffee and reading her newspaper before getting ready. She knew today was Storybook hour for preschoolers so she wore a long black skirt, black loafers and a bright green sweater. She was looking forward to work; reading to the little kids was her favorite day.

She stopped herself as that thought passed through her head just before she headed out the door. “What? Remember who you are. Really this is your first day of this job; how do you know that this is your favorite day? That’s Mary talking” At that point a second layer, a second voice came into her thoughts “But you are Mary”

Katie dropped her keys her hands were shaking so badly. “No I’m not! I’m Katie!”

“Of course you are dear…” the second voice said.

Katie realized that even through all of this, the voice inside her head had sounded like her; the real her; Katie. But this second voice was Mary’s voice.

Katie took a deep breath and a moment to compose herself. She picked up her keys and headed to work badly shaken.

The episode faded as she went about her work, checking in books and restocking shelves before the kids gathered up and she made her selections to share with them. And by the time she was done working at 3, Katie was relaxed and tired and ready to wind down for the night.

Mary made her 8 A.M. class quite easily She woke up feeling the best she had in decades. No pains, no cloudy thoughts, just clear eyed and mind as she got up to get ready. She smirked, just like every time, when she was alone and saw her reflection in the mirror.

She threw on a pair of jeans, a yellow top and a pair of brown boots and pulled her hair back into a ponytail as she grabbed her backpack and headed off to class.

Even though this was technically her first day of college and while she shouldn’t have understood anything about the terminology of an advance nursing class, she did fine.

Working on a kind of autopilot, she let it come to her and she processed it naturally. As she let herself slip into study mode though, the voice inside her head changed its tone.

Mary’s thinking voice, the voice in her own head had remained her voice throughout but without her even realizing it, it changed. The voice inside her head now sounded like Katie.

Mary didn’t fight it; she was just excited that she understood what she was hearing and seeing.

Another shift at the nursing home was on tap for her afternoon, so after meeting up with Zoe and a girl named Ashley for lunch, she headed off.

Mary was on her rounds, checking sheets and towels when she came across someone she had known at church “Hello Mrs. Underwood” she said coming into the room.

“Hello Mary” the old woman said.

“What did you call me?!” Mary panicked.

“That’s your name isn’t it?”

“Um…” Mary was frantic “No…I’m Katie”

Joan Underwood stared at her for a minute, her red rimmed and slightly cloudy eyes focusing as Mary stared back into them.

The old woman sighed “I guess I’m not very good with names these days…but you remind me of someone I knew; church maybe”

Mary’s throat was clenched tight, her muscles tense “Where did you attend?” she asked knowing the answer.

“St. Jude’s but I haven’t been able to go in years”

“Well, that’s where my Grandmother attends; Mary Bennett is her name, I’ve been told I look like her”

“Do you” Joan said in a tone that chilled Mary to the bone.

“Can she see me? The real me…is this some kind of supernatural shit where she can see through me!” Mary thought.

“Do you need any, um, fresh…linens?” Mary asked totally rattled.

“Why are you so jumpy? “Joan asked her.

“I’m not jumpy” Mary shot back quickly.

Joan looked her up and down “No thank you” she finally said.

Mary backed her cart up and left the room.

She calmed down as she worked her shift and by the time 9 o’clock rolled around she was ready to head back to her apartment and just get some sleep. The incident in the room faded and she put it out of her mind, but all the while, she never realized that the voice telling her to forget about it sounded exactly like Katie.