Morning Glory
by Sgt. Vincennes
" I can’t wait for today to be over" Sara Sykes said to her friend Amber as they walked to 7th period English.
" Oh I know. It’s supposed to be so nice this weekend. We’re still on for the mall tomorrow, Right?" Amber asked as she ran her fingers through her hair and shifted her books from her right hand to her left.
" Of course, I am so there" Sara replied as they walked into their last class of the day, American Literature with Mrs. Kemper.
" Girls…you know I hate to hear you mangle the English language like that " Gina Kemper said with a smile as the two girls entered her classroom.
Gina Kemper had a very good relationship with Sara Sykes. They lived on the same street and Sara often babysat Gina’s two children. She liked both girls whom despite their apathetic attitudes that were standard issue among all high school sophomores, they were both good students. Sara just smiled slightly " Yeah, like, I’m like sooo like totally like sorry Mrs. Kemper, like it’ll really not ever happen like again "
Gina just smiled as she sat behind her desk and Sara and Amber took their seats among the growing crowd of students. It was tough keeping the attention of any students, let alone teens 50 minutes away from the weekend.
" All right, settle down everybody. If you’ll all get out your copies of The Great Gatsby, I hope you all read chapters 2 and 3 like I assigned. And who can tell me the symbolism of the Green Light at the end of Daisy and Tom’s dock that Gatsby keeps focusing on"
Gina Kemper was used to the blank stares that greeted her question. She had been teaching for nearly 20 years now and she remembered her own blank stare when asked the same questions. Gina was 41 years old yet still attractive enough to sometimes catch her male students looking at her. She was flattered now where when she had started teaching she was just disgusted. She thought that a compliment was a compliment and she should take every one.
Gina stood about 5’5"and was very trim and fit. She had an olive complexion, dark brown eyes and jet-black hair. She had taken to dying it to keep the gray from gaining a permanent foothold and she kept it at collar length. She had long hair growing up but after her first pregnancy and the fascination that her infant son had with pulling it, she cut it short and had kept it short. Today she wore a simple royal blue blouse, black slacks and black heels with black knee-highs. She covered up the lines that had began to creep in around the corners of her mouth and eyes, but was very proud of her looks. She was an attractive lady, proud of her job and her family.
Sara Sykes had taken her seat in the third row, second seat from the back. She liked Mrs. Kemper. She was a good teacher who seemed to remember what it was like for students. She was also nice around the neighborhood and she paid well to babysit. Her kids were the best behaved of any kids that Sara had watched. Sara was 15 and wouldn’t be 16 until summer vacation was well in stride. She didn’t mind, her friends could drive and she was in no hurry to get a job anyway. She played soccer in the fall and was pretty good, but sat out other sports. Most nights she was just content to hang out with her friends watch TV and do homework. She was a good student, if a bit disinterested. Sara was 5’9" and on the skinny side. She wished she had bigger breasts and she hadn’t given up on getting them yet. Her older brother called her chicken legs and bones and she pretended that she didn’t care. Most girls can think of only losing weight, Sara actually worried about not gaining weight. She had often been teased about her build. Called Scarecrow or Ally McBeal, she was still learning to ignore the comments. Teen years were cruel. Sara was a pretty girl. Her height gave her natural poise and posture among her slouching friends. She had long blond hair that today she had pulled up into a ponytail. She had bright blue eyes, a slim nose and naturally straight teeth. She was concious of her occasional acne like all teen girls and generally worried about her looks but she didn’t need to worry. She was wearing jeans, an orange T-Shirt and Nike sneakers. She flipped her hoop earings back and forth watching the clock.
Sara chewed on her pen and doodled on her notebook folder. She drew a flower, then tried to draw a picture from one her favorite CD covers, but didn’t do a good job. She had read the chapters but she missed any symbolism of dock lights. Why couldn’t they just be dock lights to keep idiots from driving their boats onto the beach? Why did everything have to be symbolic in these books? She was in no hurry to join the conversation today and luckily Mrs. Kemper didn’t call on her today. Finally the bell rang and the day and week were at an end.
" Have a safe weekend…We’ll talk about chapter 3 on Monday…no new reading, but if you want to read ahead…" Gina said to her already fleeing class.
" Have a good weekend Mrs. Kemper" Sara said with a smile as she walked past her teacher. " Thanks Sara…You too" Gina just sighed. It was another long week. She looked forward to getting home and relaxing through the weekend.
Sara and Amber finalized their plans for the weekend as they went to their lockers. There was party that night and the mall was waiting for them on Saturday afternoon. They were on their way to Amber’s old beat up car when they realized Mrs. Kemper was in front on them on the stairs to the parking lot.
" Looks like the teachers are trying to escape in a hurry too " Sara said loudly. " Yeah…Good thing we can see just how dedicated our noble teachers are to their jobs " Amber added.
Gina was smiling broadly as she turned around " I’m just going to my car to…um get, like my purse" she said laughing.
Sara and Amber both laughed as well.
" I want to be a teacher when I’m old…that way I can leave at 3 and get the weekends off forever" Sara was still laughing.
" Hey…who are you calling old?" Gina said laughing even harder.
Sara stumbled a bit on the last step as she was pushed from behind and she ended up falling into Gina’s arms.
" Whoa" Gina said as she caught Sara " Are you allright?"
" Yeah…just a clumsy dork" an obviously embarrassed Sara said while looking at her shoes. " Well, have a good weekend girls" Gina said as she reached her car in the first row. She got into her car and felt a strange tingle, like her body had went to sleep suddenly. She shivered and started up her car without another thought. She drove home only thinking about what to make for dinner and how her kids were.
Sara shivered and shook for a second as she headed to her friend’s car. " What is your problem?" Amber asked somewhat annoyed.
" Nothin’…I just got a chill," Sara said defensively.
They drove to Sara’s house listening to the radio really loud and singing along. After Sara went in, she grabbed a bag of chips and flopped on the couch. She watched MTV and added a sandwich and Pepsi after a few minutes. She was zoned out by the time her younger sister Natalie came in. Natalie was 11 and the baby of the family, their older brother Joe was already at work. Joe was 19 and a freshman in college; he still lived at home because it was cheaper and worked at the movie theater part time. Their parents wouldn’t be home for at least another hour.
Natalie was into MTV so they no longer fought over the remote everyday. But Sara went to her room anyway to start getting ready for the party. She picked out a tight white shirt and tight black pants with black sandals. The party was starting early because there were no parents around at the host house. Amber was already back to pick Sara up.
She ran down the stairs and yelled to Natalie " Tell Mom and Dad I went out already. I already ate…I’ll be back by Midnight and tell them I’m just out with Amber" She was already out the door when Natalie replied.
Gina had made it home in time to beat her kids bus, a rare occasion. She had two sons, Kyle, age 8 and Kevin, age 6. The boys ran to her and she gave them both a big hug leading them into the house. The boys settled in watching cartoons while Gina made a casserole. Her husband Steve would be home in about an hour.
Gina changed into jeans and a white T-Shirt after the dinner was in the oven. She flipped through a magazine and half-watched cartoons just winding down from the week. She was nearly asleep when Steve came in.
" Hey Hon…how was your day?" Steve asked as he came into the living room.
" Just fine. How was yours?" Gina replied as she got up and gave her husband a slight kiss on the mouth.
" Same ol’…hey boys! How are my guys?" Steve said already moving toward the couch where Kyle and Kevin sat.
" Dinner should be ready in about another 20 minutes"
" Hmmm…I’m sorry Gin…what was that?"
" The casserole will be done in about 20 minutes"
" Oh. Yeah. It smells great."
Gina and Steve had been married for 12 years. They loved each other greatly but had fallen into the comfort zone of so many married couples after so many years. They took each other for granted. After dinner, Steve watched a baseball game with the boys while Gina read a book. After the boys went to bed, Gina and Steve watched a movie with Gina dozing off on her husband’s shoulder. She was fast asleep by the time the movie ended and Steve carried her up to their bed. He undressed her carefully, fully appreciating her toned body as he eased her jeans down her legs. They came off smoothly down her trim thighs and calfs and over her small, slender feet. He was afraid he would wake her if he took off her shirt so he placed her under the covers wearing the T-Shirt and her panties.
Gina was fast asleep. She sleep like a rock, barely moving but she was troubled by strange dreams about school.
Sara and Amber had gotten to the party early but it was already crowded when they got there. It was a typical party, loud music, crowded house and people puking way too early in the evening. Amber and Sara got into the party spirit, drinking and dancing in the growing crowd. Sara was really enjoying herself until the guy who looked in his mid-30’s puked all over her back. After finding a replacement shirt, an oversized sweatshirt from a sympathetic classmate, Sara headed into the back yard for the rest of the party. Amber was surprisingly sober when Sara found her at 11:30. Both were tired and nearly deaf and Sara really wanted to get home and take a shower, the smell had lingered around her all night.
They made it home in time for Sara’s curfew and even though only her brother was in the living room, she knew both her parents would still be awake upstairs.
" Looking like quite the partier, Sis" Joe said looking over his little sister’s clothes. " Nice shirt. I guess that’s what all the kids are wearing these days"
" Thanks Joe. So synpathetic it hurts " Sara said as she took off her shoes and went to kitchen for a glass of water.
" Hope you weren’t drinking " Joe said loudly.
" Shut up Jerk. We both know Mom and Dad are up but you don’t have to scream"
" Ah, take it easy sis, they’re cool. Although Mom was a bit ticked you left so early tonight. " " Yeah, well…We didn’t want to miss anything…besides Nat was fine and stuff"
"Well don’t be surprised if she wakes you up early tomorrow. You know how chores magically appear when she’s mad at us"
" I guess I’ll be ready for that" Sara said as she ascended the stairs. " I’m going to shower before I hit the bed."
" So is that smell of puke yours, or someone elses’ "
" Someone else…I was just in the splatter zone."
Joe just laughed and went back to watching The Matrix. Soon he heard the water in the shower kick on.
Sara washed for 15 minutes, suddenly grossed out about the puking incident. She let the hot water run down all over her body. The pulsating water consumed her on the top of her head. Her hair when wet lay almost to her narrow waist. She once again wished she was fuller in her breasts but she liked her long thin legs. They were strong from years of soccer despite her brother’s nicknames. Sara Sykes was very tired when she got to her room. It was a typical 15-year old’s room, a disaster area. She knew where to step to avoid the piles of clothes and CD’s. Posters of various bands covered the walls and a stereo and a TV adorned a shelving unit along the one side. She put on a fresh pair of panties and a plain white T-Shirt and curled up in bed. She fell asleep instantly and was consumed by dreams of school.
The Next Morning: " GINA MARIE SYKES! Are you going to sleep all day!" Gina heard a female voice calling her name but it’s origin failed to resonate with her. She clamped her eyes shut tightly. " I must still be dreaming" was all that passed through her groggy mind. The door to the room flew open. " Wake up young lady! You have chores to do if you want to go to the mall with Amber this afternoon."
Gina froze. This was a very strange dream. She slowly opened her eyes only to be greeted by relative darkness. It took yet another second for her to realize she was looking into a wall of hair. A lot of long black hair was matted in front of her eyes.
Gina lifted up her right hand slowly and grabbed a handfull of hair and pushed it out of her eyes. "What in the world is going on…I haven’t had long hair in almost 10 years" she thought. " Get up O Precious middle child of mine. Just because you go out partying with your friends on Friday night doesn’t mean you get to skip your chores on Saturday morning…you drew mopping duty. I want to see you out of that bed and downstairs in less than 15 minutes."
Gina traced her eyes to the source of the voice and saw her neighbor Lydia Sykes standing in a doorway. Gina just squinted in confusion. " Why is Lydia Sykes talking to me like I’m her daughter?" she thought.
" Lydia? I must be dreaming" Gina managed sleepily.
" Lydia? Well aren’t we a grown up. When did you stop calling me Mom?"
Gina was very puzzled. This was one Hell of a dream. She looked down and around at her surroundings. She was sitting on a twin bed. The floor beneath her feet was strewn with clothes and CD’s. Gina looked back at her feet. They were her feet but they looked different somehow. Smoother…almost younger somehow. Her eyes traced up her legs. Also they were her legs but they were smoother and leaner, as no mark blemeshed their lines.
" Well. What are you staring at the floor for young lady? Get up and get going. And clean up this room while you’re at it. It’s an absolute pigsty in here."
This broke Gina’s concentration and she again looked at Lydia Sykes, with even more confusion in her eyes.
" Why are you looking at me like that? Are you on drugs? Is that why you can’t seem to comprehend your Mother’s language?"
" No…I’m not on drugs…I…I…just seem to not be able to wake up"
" Well, rise and shine sunshine" Lydia said as she shut the door behind her.
Gina shook her head and was instantly drawn to the sensation of long hair flowing over her shoulders. " What is going on" she mumbled with panic in her voice.
She trembled slightly as she slowly stood up. She looked down at her thin smooth legs. Her hands dropped to her stomach. It was flipping wildly at what was going on. Her hands rested against her flat stomach. Another confused look crossed Gina’s face. Her hands lifted up the white T-Shirt and exposed a perfectly flat tummy. " No Way!" Gina thought. " My stomach hasn’t been flat like this in years…I must be dreaming"
Her hands ranged further up to her breasts. She could tell she wasn’t wearing a bra even though she knew she had been wearing one when she fell asleep. Her breasts were extremely firm, perky even. They seemed smaller in her hands. Gina stared at her hands. They too were smoother than she could remember.
Gina looked around at her surroundings. " Where am I" She was standing in a mess. Her eyes scanned the walls to reveal posters of bands she knew of from her students. She saw a shelving unit against the wall that had a stereo and a TV on it. She saw the dresser against another wall with a mirror on top. Gina took in a deep breath and began making her way to the mirror.
" OW!" Gina had stepped on something sharp. She grabbed her foot annoyed at the pain then annoyed by her hair falling over her face into her eyes. She flipped her head back and felt the hair whip back out of her field of vision.
She realized she had closed her eyes again once she reached the mirror. Her eyes popped open and Gina was amazed at what she saw before her.eyes. Gina gasped in shock at the visage in the mirror. It was her; but yet not her. It was her 25 years ago. Gina was looking at her teenage self in the mirror.
Gina’s mouth hung open at the amazing sight, " This can’t be happening…Oh My…What is going on here" She reached her hand first towards the mirror then brought the hand back and ran the smooth fingers down her cheek. She felt a slight bump under her finger…a pimple. Gina then brought her other hand to her face and watched as the hand felt her other cheek, slowly working down. With her hands resting at the nape of her neck, Gina realized she was hyperventilating. She wanted to scream, but she was too afraid.
" This is impossible. I am Gina Marie Kemper, age 41. I was born September 15, 1960. I was married to Steve Kemper on July 9th 1989. I have two sons ages 6 and 8. I…I am a teacher at Truman High School…I can’t be looking at a teenage version of myself." She realized she could recount facts until she was blue in the face; she wasn’t convinced of her own place.
Gina took a step back, then another. She looked around again; she was beginning to panic. She went quickly to the window. She looked out and saw her street, but she wasn’t in her house. She could see her house, 4 houses up on the other side. She was in the Sykes’ house. Lydia Sykes had called her Gina Marie Sykes to wake her up.
" This…this is some kind of Twilight Zone…some parallel dimension…" Gina stammered. Gina saw a purse on the floor. She quickly grabbed it and opened it up. She found a Truman High Security pass. Everone had to have one to gain access to the building. She grabbed it and there on the tag was a picture of 15-year old Gina M. Sykes, sophomore. Home Rome 209; D.O.B. 9-15-86. " No…This can’t be happening. She flipped through the wallet, but like any 15-year old, there wasn’t much there. There were 16 dollars and a bunch of pictures. There was a picture of what Gina recognized as herself now along with Amber Murphy. " Didn’t Lydia say I was going to the mall with Amber this afternoon? But Amber is best friends with…Sara Sykes." Gina gasped again. She found a picture of the Sykes family. She knew Dan and Lydia Sykes since she had moved into the neighborhood shortly after she and Steve had been married in 89. She saw a perfectly happy family portrait. There in the back row were Dan and Joe Sykes and sitting on three chairs were Lydia Sykes, a 10-year old Natalie Sykes…and Gina.
"GINA! You had better be cleaning that room of yours or you will not be going out with Amber this afternoon"
Gina gulped hard at the voice from downstairs. " But if I’m here…If I am now the 15-year old daughter of Dan and Lydia Sykes, then where is Sara?"
" SHHHH. Quiet boys, don’t wake up your mother…I don’t think she’s feeling too good" Sara heard the voice from close by but was still confused from sleep and didn’t recognize what it was.
" Is there something wrong with Mommy?"
" No…She’s just really tired. Hey. Why don’t I take you two to McDonald’s for breakfast and we’ll let Mommy sleep."
Sara heard a child’s voice and another male voice and both sounded familiar. " I must be dreaming," she thought as she kept her eyes closed tightly. She heard the door close and feet going down stairs then a car below her start up and head off.
Sara gently rubbed her eyes and then opened them. She was instantly confused by what she saw. She saw that she was lying in a King size bed and was looking into a bathroom off the room. " Did I fall alseep in my parent’s room?" she wondered. " This isn’t my room…but it isn’t my parents room either."
At this she sat upright in bed. Sunlight streamed into the room from two windows across from her. "Where am I?" she said aloud, slightly disturbed at the sound of her voice. She thought she might be coming down with a cold.
Sara turned back and forth several times looking over the room. " Oh…" she felt a stiffness in her neck and she seemed to have a pain in her lower back, " I must have slept wrong…where ever I slept." Sara was running through where she was. The room was familiar, just as the voices she had heard in her dream were familiar. She knew she had not fallen asleep at the party last night. She remembered going home and talking to Joe, then showering and going to bed in her own room. " Was…Have I been kidnapped?"
Sara still hadn’t moved from her sitting position in bed. She pulled back the covers and stopped when she saw her legs. They looked very different this morning. She had put on some weight. She wasn’t suddenly fat. But her legs were fuller this morning. She ran her hands over the tops of her thighs. She had marks along the tops of her thighs. She rubbed her fingers over them thinking them temporary marks from the sheets being bunched up…but they didn’t budge. She looked down her legs at her feet. The nails weren’t painted anymore. She had just painted her toenails on Thursady and now they were totally clear. She ran her fingers over her toes. The nails were also thicker then usual. Her heels had a few cracks in them, her feet looked old. She noticed bumps along her legs, veins along the calves and a scar along her knee.
" I’ve never had these bumps…these blemishes before. What’s going on?" Sara said in rising panic. Her hands flew up to her hair…her short hair. " What the…What happened to my hair?"
Sara scanned the room quickly and ran to the bathroom she had seen from the bed. Sara did scream when she saw the image reflected back; then she fainted.
Sara woke up just seconds later lying on the cold tile of the bathroom floor. " What am I…Oh yeah." Sara shut her eyes. " I have to be dreaming…I have to be dreaming. I’ll sit up and everything will be back to normal. But if everything were back to normal I wouldn’t be sitting on this cold tile floor, I’d be in my own bed.
Sara stood up slowly, aware of the pain in her back. She gripped the edge of the sink tightly and looked hard at the face in the mirror. She shook her head violently back and forth at what she saw. Sara barely recognized the face in the mirror. It was old. It was her…but old. She saw blue eyes, dulled by years and lines deep alongside them. She saw her blond hair was now cut short. It was full on top,
Bangs covered her forehead, but the length stopped at her collar and it wasn’t as shiny or as bright. It was a darker shade of blond, a duller color. She lifted up the bangs to reveal lines on her forehead. Her nose was the same as were her teeth, but her lips were dry and slightly cracked and lines marked the corners and reached down as she opened her mouth wide. Her hands traced her long neck down to her shoulders, where freckles and tougher skin were found on her arms. She flexed her hands back and forth. Like her feet, veins stood out on back now and the nails were thicker and shorter.
Sara’s older hands went to her breasts. She was wearing a white T-Shirt and a bra beneath it. Her hands hefted her breasts. They were bigger; maybe 2 sizes bigger but she could tell that they now sagged if not for the bra.
Sara lifted up the shirt slightly and ran her left hand over her stomach. It wasn’t as flat as before. She was still rather thin but the stomach was different. More of those slight lines marked the sides of her tummy and it stuck out ever so slightly. Her hands fell to her ass, a big lower and saggy compared to what she was used to.
Sara was crying slightly " What’s happened to me…Who am I?"
She cautiously looked around and walked back out from the bathroom. She went to a dresser across the room. There were various cosmetics strewn about the top. But it was the purse that got her attention. She opened it up quickly and grabbed the wallet. She gasped when she saw the driver’s license inside.
Sara Ann Kemper, eyes blue, hair blond, height 5’9", weight 135 D.O.B. 8-18-1957 " No! Sara Kemper…that can’t be…1957! That would make me 44 years old!"
It was the photos that were stuck in the dresser mirror that now interested Sara. The first was her lying in a bed holding an infant. She could tell it was her since she was looking directly at the camera. She was not as old as she was this Saturday morning but she was still older than she had been last night. It was a hospital bed…it was the picture of her after giving birth to the child in her arms.
The second photo was much like the first. She was again holding an infant and there was a 2-year old boy perched on the bed next to her smiling broadly. " Kyle? Is that little Kyle Kemper?" Sara felt faint again and rested her head on the dresser. " I babysit Kyle and Kevin Kemper. I didn’t give birth to them!" The next photo was in a frame. It was her again. The older version of her, yet this version was younger than the two maternity photos. This time Sara saw herself in a wedding gown…next to Steve Kemper. The date engraved in the bottom was July 9th, 1989.
" This can’t be happening…I was…I was a month from my 3rd birthday on that date. That can’t be my wedding date! I’m only 15…not 44!"
Sara got up and rifled through the drawers of the dresser. She grabbed a pair of shorts and ran downstairs. She had been in the Kemper house many times. She babysat for them reguarily and this was the Kemper house. Sara went for the office.
Once in the office, she went through the drawers. She found bank statements for Steve and Sara Kemper. She saw bills with both names on them, insurance policies, the mortgage, and loan papers. Everything in the office was in her name and had her signature on them. Her life had been extended by 29 years.
The pictures were everywhere in the house. She flipped through dozens of albums. All pictures of her or Steve or both of them together; on vacations, at Barbeques at Christmases together and hundreds of pictures of the boys…her boys. Sara was with Kyle and Kevin in lots of pictures. Then near the end of a newer stack, a certain photo caught her eye. At the block picnic last summer there was a group photo. That was where she picked out herself standing with Steve and Kyle and Kevin Kemper. Sara’s eyes scanned right. There, second in from the end stood a young girl of 14 with long black hair, standing where she had been in her old copy of this picture. Natalie was on the end. " No it can’t be! That…that looks like a teenage…Gina Kemper…"
Sara staggered out of the office. She picked up a jacket that was lying on a bench by the front door. Her hand caught on the I.D. Badge on the lapel. It was a Truman High School badge. Sara gasped at the image on the badge. It was her…the new old her and below her smiling face it stated Sara A. Kemper, faculty.
" Somehow I’m living Gina Kemper’s life. And if that picture is correct…she’s living mine. But How? How did this happen? I went to bed a 15-year old kid. I woke up as a 44-year old woman with a husband and 2 kids. How did I wake up old? How did I wake up with a different life?" Sara sobbed slightly and sat down hard on the floor of the hallway, dazed and confused.
Gina slowly picked up a pair of jeans from the pile on the floor and stepped into them. She seemed more limber in this younger version of herself. She didn’t know what to do. She couldn’t tell anyone what had happened. No one would believe her. Reality had somehow been shifted around her and around everyone else too. "Why Lydia Sykes didn’t even bat an eye to order me around like I’ve always been her daughter," Gina thought dejectedly.
" GINA! I don’t hear you cleaning up there"
Gina knew she had to reply this time or Lydia would be back upstairs again to yell at her in person. " Uh…I’m picking up my room first…Mom"
" Good, if the health department saw that room we’d get 500 violations"
Gina did start picking up CD’s and stacking them on the shelves next to the stereo. Until she could figure out what was going on, she would be living in this room. She couldn’t stand the mess either. She started going through the clothes, it embarrassed her to think of wearing some of these items. Low cut shirts that showed both clevage and her tummy, low ride jeans, short skirts and even shorter shorts. Not to mention all the shoes, from insanely high platform heels to clunky boots to shower sandals. Clothes that as an adult and a teacher she had just shook her head at she would now be wearing.
Gina hung up the shirts and folded and put away the shorts, pants and skirts. She stacked the shoes in the closet and threw out a mountain of gum wrappers and fast food wrappers. She carried 5 glasses and 4 plates downstairs, all dirty and needing washed.
When she reached the bottom of the stairs, Joe Sykes was polishing the banister. " Told you she’d be pissed little sister," he said with a wink and a smile. " I hear you got mop duty" " Um…yeah Joe…I got mop duty"
" I see you also decided to rotate the dirty dishes in your room. E Coli germs will die by the millions if you clean up there. It’ll be germ genocide in Gina’s room"
Gina just smiled and walked to the kitchen. Joe Sykes was now her older brother. She had known Joe since he was just a 7-year old, now he was 4 years older than she was.
The mop was waiting for her next to the sink in the kitchen. She put the dishes into the sink and panicked slightly when she realized she didn’t know where the Sykes kept their cleaning supplies. But as luck would have it, she opened up the cabinet beneath the sink and found all she needed. It was a good thing that all these houses were built the same. There were only so many places you could hide things.
Gina had moments of disbelief all morning. She simply had a tough time placing herself in this new life of hers. The thought that she was mopping a floor as a 15 year old version of herself. She had a Mom and Dad again, not to mention siblings, one older and one younger. She felt a wave of nervousness pass over her when she realized that at 15, she couldn’t even drive.
She mopped the kitchen, then the 2 bathrooms and dumped out the water. Her mother then told her she had to clean the rest of the bathrooms and wash the dishes she had left in the sink. Gina felt humiliated being treated like a kid again. A woman bossing her around was something she hadn’t put up with in nearly 20 years.
She heard the phone ring " Gina! It’s for you!" her mother yelled.
" Who is it?"
" It’s Mrs. Kemper from down the street, she must want you to babysit"
"I don’t think so" was all Gina thought as she walked to the phone.
" Hello"
Sara had gotten up from the floor after awhile realizing what she had to do. She picked up the phone and called her home phone number. She gasped when she heard her Mom’s voice on the other side. " Hello, Sykes residence"
"Uh…Hello…is…is Sara there?"
" No I’m sorry you must have the wrong num…"
" Uh…I mean this is Sara…is Gina there?"
" Oh Hi Sara. How are Kyle and Kevin?"
" Oh…they’re fine. Huh…How are your kids?"
" Just fine…but you know teenagers. It’s like pulling teeth to get Gina to do any chores around here. How do you put up with her in your English class?"
" My…my english class. Yeah…right my english class. Well you know Gina is a great kid. A great student"
" HA. Yeah right. I’ve known you for too long Sara; you’ve never been good at lying. I’ll get Gina for you"
Sara’s mind was reeling as she heard her mother call for Gina like she had never been her daughter and Mrs. Kemper had always been her daughter. This was severely messed up.
" Hello" Gina said somewhat shakily
" Mrs. Kemper?"
" Sara? Is that you?"
" What the Hell is going on?"
" I have no idea…what should I call you?"
" Uh…call me Sara. Mrs. Kemper sure doesn’t sound right"
" I have a student I.D. saying I’m 15 and a sophomore at the school I teach at…"
" And I have a faculty I.D. badge saying I’m 44. Can you imagine my shock at waking up in my mid forties" Sara’s voice was rising towards hysterical.
" Yes I can imagine that. I was in my early forties when I went to bed last night. Can you imagine my surprise to wake up to your Mom screaming at me to mop the floor and clean my room? I’m a kid again!" Gina was trying to keep her voice down to not raise suspicion but having a hard time. " Look…come over here. We’ll talk about this face to face. We’re not getting anywhere on the phone."
" Okay…is my husb…are Steve and the boys there?"
" No they’re not. Now get over here!"
The phone clicked off in Gina’s hand. " UH…I need to go over to the Kemper’s for just a minute. I’ll be right back" and Gina sprinted out the door slipping on a pair of sandals by the back door not waiting for a reply.
Gina broke out the door and took off running around the house and into the street. Her legs pumping and her hair flying wildly about her face, she was quite the picture of youth. She was nearly to her front lawn when the door opened and Gina skidded to a sudden halt.
Sara had hung up the phone and taken a few deep breaths before walking down the hall to the front door. She couldn’t imagine what she was going to see or say to Mrs. Kemper. When she opened the door and stepped onto the front step she saw a young girl running full bore towards her. Sara gasped and clutched her hands in front of her mouth at the sight.
The two women stood 20 feet away from each other staring and not moving an inch. Both were too shocked at what was before them. Finally after a long minute of sizing up, Gina slowly began walking forward. Sara too took a few steps until they were before each other. The silence conitued as they examined each other closely.
"Gina…WOW! Look at you! You…you’re so young"
" Sara…you…you…"
" I love your hair Gina" Sara said with a slight catch in her voice.
" Uh, Yeah…I had long hair when I was a kid. I cut it off when Kyle was born. I had forgotten what it was like" Gina said apologetically.
" I guess I’m supposed to have short hair as an adult"
" I guess it comes with the age…I…you…we"
" What happened to us Mrs. Kemp…Gina" Sara said almost in tears.
" I have no idea honey," Gina said soothingly
" But…I…I can’t be old…uh, I mean older. I’m just a kid. I don’t know what to do. I can’t have a husband and two kids…" Sara had started to cry. " I don’t want this!"
" I don’t want this either. I don’t want to grow up again either. I was happy with my life. The thought that Kyle and Kevin aren’t my kids anymore is tearing me up" Gina was beginning to cry too. " But if I was happy as me and you were happy as you, then why are we now each other. And why doesn’t anyone else see that this is totally wrong!"
" I don’t know Sara, Your Mom treated me like I was her daughter…"
" And…Steve and the boys called me Mommy. I’m no one’s Mommy"
" I know…but I don’t know how to switch back either"
" I went through the drawers in the office. Everything has my name on it. I’m in all the pictures."
At that Gina’s eyes got wide and she ran past Sara into the open door behind her. She flew up the stairs into her bedroom. When Sara came in, Gina was on the floor in front of the dresser sobbing uncontrollably.
Gina was clutching the pictures of Sara and her newborns.
Sara and Gina hugged each other for a few minutes, neither of them speaking. Finally Sara consoled the young girl in her arms by saying, " We’ll figure it out. We’ll get back to normal…somehow"
" Are you sure! Promise Me!" Gina begged her.
" I…It’ll be okay"
" No…How can it be okay when I’m a kid and you’re…"
" I don’t know, but it will be."
The two walked slowly back downstairs. They had just stepped back out onto the lawn when Steve and the boys arrived. Gina immediately began crying again.
" Hey Honey. Hey Gina. Are you allright?" Steve said as he saw the neighbor girl and frequent babysitter sobbing against his wife’s breast.
" She’ll be fine Steve" Sara quickly replied. " You know teenagers…she’s had a rough morning" " Are you okay Gina?" 8 year old Kyle asked his babysitter.
Gina could barely nod in response at her son only recognizing her as the babysitter. Kevin was scared of big people crying. He had never seen his babysitter crying before and he ran past and into the house.
" Well if you need anything Gina, we’re always here for you. I’m glad you and my wife are so close. I know sometimes you can’t go to your parents and a teacher and neighbor can be a good friend. I hope you’re not in trouble"
" No…honey, she’ll be okay. Won’t you Gina? Now you better run along. Have a good time at the mall and I’ll see you in class on Monday" Sara said while staring into Gina’s eyes.
Gina just nodded " Bye, Mrs…Mrs. Kemper. I’m sorry to have bothered you. I’ll see you on Monday. Unless you’d need me before that."
Steve hugged Sara close to his hip and they walked into the house arm in arm. Gina stood on the lawn another moment after the door closed. Her chin dipped to her chest, then she slowly turned and she dragged her feet down the sidewalk back to the Sykes house.
The Sykes house had quieted down in the meantime. Natalie was watching cartoons and Lydia was typing on the computer. Gina silently went up the stairs to her room. She glanced around at her surroundings. Boy band posters, inappropriate clothing, and the life of a teen. A cell phone was ringing on the shelf.
" Hello?"
" Hey Gin…how about that party last night girl?" Gina thought she recognized the voice of Amber Murphy on the other end.
" Uh…yeah, it was cool"
" Are you allright Gina?"
" Yeah. I’ve had a real rough morning"
" Mom’s been on you again?"
" You could say that."
" Well get ready. I’ll be over in 15 minutes for the mall. See ya!"
Gina clicked off the phone. She had to get ready for the mall. She just shook her head at the absurdity of it, but keep up appearances and all.
Gina took off the jeans and T-Shirt she had been wearing. She caught her reflection in the mirror again and marvelled at how firm and toned her body was. It was no consolation to her at that point. She picked out a different pair of jeans and slid them over her trim, youthful legs. She slid a bra over her shoulders and somewhere deep inside her; she relished the thought of her perky young breasts. She put a black top on over it. She stood before the mirror amazed again at her youthful face. Her eyes were so clear and bright, her lips full and sensuous. The only blemishes she had to worry about now were pimples, not crow’s feet. She fluffed her hair out with her fingers. It was shiny and jet-black. It cascaded down her back and over her shoulders. She smiled broadly for the first time since the switch had occurred.
" What the Hell" she said sarcastically. " When in Rome…"
She put on a pair of socks and grabbed a pair of Reeboks. She was tying them on when she heard a car with no muffler pull into the drive. Gina grabbed her purse and threw in the cell phone and bounded down the steps and out the front door.
Gina found that she fell easily into conversation with Amber. She knew enough about what was going on in school and who was going out with whom to keep up a modicum of knowledge. Anyway, the radio blarred so loudly along with the lack of a muffler that they only talked at stoplights. As the day at the mall went along, Gina found out something amazing; she was enjoying herself. She quietly chided herself. She had gotten wrapped up in the day. She had not thought about who she really was for hours. She and Amber were both broke, so they had just been trying on clothes, never buying anything. They ran into people they knew, both shopping and working in the various stores. Gina had actually started to think of them as friends and no longer as students. She had enjoyed trying on the risky fashions and slinky clothes. They felt so good on her young body and smooth flesh.
Gina and Amber were having some pizza in the food court when Shane Morris and his friend Mike came over to them. Gina knew Shane from her 3rd period composition class. She didn’t know that Shane and Sara had been dating off and on. Now, Shane was very familiar with Gina.
" Gina G…What’s up sexy girl?" Shane said as he sat down in Gina’s lap.
Gina was shocked as Shane kissed her fully on the mouth and even more shocked when she let her lips part and felt Shane’s tongue in her mouth.
" Shane! What?"
" Ah, don’t act like you don’t like it. You liked it just fine last week during the movies." Gina blushed heavily; she was making out in a mall food court with a kid she taught. But she was blushing also because she had liked it. She was excited. Teenage hormones had come along with the body.
Sara meanwhile was spending the day with her 2 sons. As Gina had left, Sara had been looking out the front window as she walked away. Steve had come up and gave her a big kiss.
" Are you allright? You seemed to need your sleep this morning."
" Yeah. It…well you wouldn’t believe me if I told you what a weird dream I had"
Steve just laughed " Well, if you don’t mind watching the boys, I need to work on the lawn mower unless you’d like me to just go buy a new one."
" No…it’s cheaper if you just fix it. You’re good with those things"
Steve had kissed her again as he headed out to the garage. Sara had a strange feeling for Steve. She felt love for him. She barely knew the guy, just as a guy who she babysat for, now she felt a warmth from him and safety and comfort in him.
Sara shook her head back and forth. " I am not a 44 year old married mother of 2. I am a 15 year high school student…I…" her thoughts passed out of her mind.
Sara had gained maternal instincts in her change. She felt instantly protective and loving towards the two boys that were sitting on the floor in the living room playing a game. Sara went in and despite a quick pain in her right knee when she bent down to sit on the floor, she sat right down and spent the next hour playing Pokemon with Kyle and Kevin.
Sara was perfectly content that day. She fixed lunch for everyone then watched a movie with the boys and then they all went out for dinner that night. Sara wasn’t even aware that the young man who waited on them at the restaurant had gone to junior high with her. She didn’t recognize him as one of her students since he now went to the private high school across town.
After dinner she and the boys had played a board game until it was time for them to go to bed. She took great pride in the fact that both of them could get ready on their own now without their mother’s help. She lovingly tucked both in and gave them light kisses on the foreheads. Sara was out in the hallway before she gasped at just how natural everything had seemed. She was enjoying this; it felt natural and right for her. The longer she went along, the more natural it felt. Sara was suddenly scared. What if she never went back to being a teen? What if she was like this forever…and what if she liked it? What if she forgot her old life completely?
Steve thought his wife had been a little off all day, but nothing gave him any real alarm. She came down from putting their kids to bed and snuggled up next to him. They watched a movie and curled up together on the couch under a blanket. Sara had never felt so safe in her life.
Steve started to kiss Sara along her neck and working his way up along her jaw to her ear. Sara moaned slightly in pleasure. He worked on the other side then before Sara kissed him passionately on the lips. Soon Steve was lifting off his wife’s top and reaching to unhook her bra. Sara’s breasts came free and Steve immediately went to them. Sara was in paradise. She worked Steve’s shirt off and ran her fingers over his back and into his hair. Steve had unbuttoned her pants and was working the jeans down his wife’s shapely legs. As Steve entered her, Sara gasped in extasy. She had never felt so good in her entire life. Sara had never been with a man, yet somehow, she had been. This all felt natural while being new and exciting to her. She exploded in pleasure as she reached climax. Sara let herself fall into Steve’s arms gasping for breath in happiness and bliss.
As they lay in each other’s arms Sara asked her husband a question. " Do you find me attractive?" Steve chuckled " If I didn’t would we have just done this?"
" No…I mean do you wish I were younger?"
" No. Of course not honey. I love you just the way you are. You know that. My eye never strays."
" I know but I feel so old sometimes…"
" You’re not old and I love you"
Sara seemed pleased with the answer and let herself fall alseep curled up with her husband.
Gina and Amber had continued through the afternoon with Shane and Mike walking through the mall laughing and having a great time. When it came time to leave though, Mike had caught the bus, Amber had driven off alone and Gina had gone with Shane to his car.
Gina was a bit nervous as they drove away from the bright lights of the mall. Gina’s mind was reeling. She had to concentrate to remember who she really was. It had only been 12 hours since she had woken up as a 15-year old and now she was riding of with a guy like a regular horny kid. If she didn’t think about her old life, the concerns that are only important to a teenager would take over. Shane drove them to an old empty parking lot where it was nice and dark. He killed the engine and made his first clumsy move towards Gina. He groped her pert breasts and was panting before he was even able to speak. Gina was panting too; her hormones had taken over her body and her mind. Shane sloppily kissed Gina on her cheeks then down her neck. Her was quickly untucking her top and reaching beneath it for her breasts. Gina helped guide his hands to their mark.
Shane was unexperienced and for whatever reason, Gina seemed equally out of place. It was like she had never done anything like this before; all she knew was that she was aching to go. Shane was unable to unhook Gina’s bra and she had to unhook it herself. Shane’s one hand massaged her breasts while the other worked down the front of her pants. His hand reached between Gina’s trembling thighs.
That was when Gina’s mind snapped back to reality. " NO!"
" Wha…what do you mean…" Shane was panting and shaking.
" I mean I can’t do this…I’m sorry but I can’t explain" Gina was thinking of Steve and her sons but the thoughts were distant and dark.
" I…I just thought you wanted this too…it’s not to late, we can still keep going" Gina was very confused. She forgot why she was resisting and consented and Shane took her.
Gina was lost in a world of pleasurable sensations. Her whole world was still shaking. She had never felt anything that good. After their brief break, Shane had been quick about his work and Gina had made sure he did have a condom. But no matter how quick it was, it was still the best feeling in the world.
Gina got dressed hastily in the car’s backseat and made sure she was presentable by the time Shane dropped her off at home. They hadn’t spoken much afterward. Shane just drove her home with a stupid permanent smile on his mouth.
Luckily for Gina when she got home, the house was dark and everyone was in bed. She didn’t even have to put up with Joe’s teasing. She quickly went to her room and flopped on the bed. The day had been a whirlwind and she was actually thinking about her homework when the reality of her situation creeped back into her mind. The fact that she was 41, not 15 and had been far away but when she remembered it again, she just cried. Why was it so hard to concentrate on what was right? What was happening to her? Her body had overtaken her mind and her control. She could only wonder what Sara was thinking; she had to be miserable.
Sara Kemper woke up on Sunday morning confused. Despite how wrapped up in her new life she had been yesterday, when she woke up she expected to be alone in a twin bed and to be a teen. When she woke up with a man’s arm draped over her shoulder. She jumped up. Luckily Steve just mumbled and turned over and went back to sleep. It took a moment of panic to remember where she was and who she was now. At first the thought of still being old depressed her but then she remembered how great she had felt with Steve last night and she didn’t mind as much.
Sara stopped again when she saw her face in the mirror. " It’s going to take more than just a day to get used to this face," she thought while smiling slightly.
She dressed quietly in a light blue shirt and tan pants. She went downstairs and cooked breakfast since Kyle and Kevin were already up. Sara would spend the day in the company of her family. She graded papers and played with the kids and lived a life with few thoughts of being 15. The new Gina Sykes also spent a quiet day on Sunday. Her mother woke her up and made her get ready to go to her Aunt’s house. She spent the day with family and it felt right to her. She had a few moments of placing herself back in her rightful position, but that life already seemed like a dream to her, less like reality with each passing moment.
Monday Morning:
Gina’s clear brown eyes popped open early on Monday morning. She had spent much of Sunday not thinking about her old life but the thought of having to go to school again as a student had made her appreciate her old life. " I don’t want to go to school today" she pleaded under her breath. " Let me wake back up as myself, my 41-year old self. But when she opened her eyes and saw the posters in front of her eyes she moaned in pain. It was a school day.
Gina got up slowly. She swung her thin smooth legs out of bed and flexed her toes on the carpeting beneath her feet. Her hands pushed her hair away from her eyes and she blinked hard and sighed. Then Gina stood and made her way to the shower. She stood under the stream of water mesmerized by it. She washed herself slowly wanting to delay the inevitable.
She dried off and beagn to get dressed. After putting on a pair of white panties and a white bra, she picked out a pair of low ride jeans and slid them on. She put on a yellow top that showed off her stomach when she stood up. She let her hair hang naturally long over her back and shoulders and she applied minimum make-up. She grabbed her backpack and headed down to wait for Amber to pick her up.
Gina was aware of the bustle around her as the whole house got ready for the day. Gina didn’t talk much but just watched the news and waited nervously. She couldn’t stop her feet from tapping endlessly. She worked them in and out of her black sandals in pure nerves for a school day. When Amber’s car pulled into the drive, she nearly fainted. But instead she headed out the front door silently, her heart fluttering wildly in her chest. Gina stole a glance at her old house and wished she were back there.
Sara was being honest with herself; she was excited about being a teacher. She had the power now. She could give out the homework. She had found it easy to grade the papers; it was like she knew all the course work.
Sara had gotten ready but she wasn’t happy about getting dressed up. As a student, she could slob around whenever she wanted but not as a teacher. Sara had showered and applied make-up dillegently. She rarely wore heavy make-up but today as she prepared her older face, she had foundation, eyeliner, eye shadow and red lipstick. She fixed her hair carefully and picked out her clothes. She wore a black blouse, a tan knee-length skirt, tan panyhose and black heels. Sara looked in the mirror and was impressed by how sharp she looked for her job.
She got the boys’ lunches made while they were eating breakfast and made sure that they made the bus. She kissed Steve good-bye and headed for her car. Sara couldn’t get over the fact that she knew how to drive now. She wondered if Gina now was clueless behind a wheel since she had never even tried driving, but now she was a natural.
Once at school, Sara strode through the hallways full of power and confidence, her heels clicking away as she walked with her head high. She greeted students; all of whom called her Mrs. Kemper. She stopped in the faculty lounge and went straight to the coffee machine. She had never drunk the stuff as a kid, but she seemed drawn to it today. She poured a big mug full, said Hi to the other teachers and made small talk. In the back of her mind, Sara the teenager marvelled at the show while Sara the adult took it all in stride.
Sara made her way to her classroom and flipped through her gradebook with anticipation looking for her 7th period listing. Sara smiled wide when her eyes fell upon an entry for Sykes, Gina M. Gina meanwhile was in the midst of holding court at her locker. She and Amber had pulled into the student lot and hiked in and headed for their lockers on the second floor. They were greeted by dozens of friends and gossip poured out of everyone. In the back of her mind, Gina the adult rolled her eyes at the inanity of it all while on the outside, teenaged Gina soaked up all the details. Gina knew her locker combination and her entire day of classes that lay ahead. She shuddered to think of just how long the day would be.
It really didn’t help Gina’s nerves that her first class was Phys Ed. Gina entered the locker room and it’s familiar gamey, stale smell. She and Amber went to the second row and began to change clothes. Gina was so embarrassed, stripping in front of her former students. No one was even paying her a bit of attention, but Gina’s mortification continued. " At least I have the proper body for this again," she thought as she quickly stripped and redressed in blue shorts, a yellow school shirt and tennis shoes.
As a teacher, Gina had liked Helen Hudson the Phys. Ed teacher, now as a member of her class; she realized where all the jokes came from. The girls called her Triple H, after her resemblance to the wreastler and her masculine build. Gina nearly broke when Coach Hudson got in her face to scream at her for 3 more push-ups.
Gina ended up having to play volleyball and even after so many years, she was still bad at the game. At least as a 15-year old, she didn’t get winded.
The rest of Gina’s day went surprisingly smooth, she answered questions in Spanish, did Algebra equations on the board, learned about World War I, had a very busy lunch in the cafeteria, disected a grasshopper, and drew a cityscape in art class. When the bell rang at the end of art, she swallowed hard, American Literature was next.
Sara had found the day harder than she had expected. Keeping students attention was tough and their lack of care was atrocious. No one did their homework, no one wanted to answer any questions and no one cared. Sara felt like she was talking to herself all day. The fact that Shane Morris in her 3rd period class had slept through the whole thing had really pissed her off. But the day had passed and 7th period was upon her. Sara flipped the page in her gradebook, got her teacher’s copy of The Great Gatsby and hopped up on her desk and waited the appearance of her favorite student.
Sara smiled broadly when she saw Gina enter the room. She was alone today and looked very cute in her yellow tank top that showed off her breasts and her flat stomach. She also approved of the tight jeans and cute sandals she was wearing.
Gina had dreaded this moment all day and when she saw Sara smiling at her and sizing her up she was afraid to move. But Gina had smiled back and walked to her seat. She looked over her teacher and was impressed by how composed and mature she looked. She looked comfortable and in control before the class. She strode back and forth greeting the students as they entered. She winked at Gina as she started her class discussion.
" So class…I hope you all had a good, interesting weekend" she smiled and looked directly at Gina. Gina was trying to hide behind her book and her hair.
" So who can tell me the signifigance to the song that is played at the party and why Daisy doesn’t want to hear it?"
The class was silent and despite the urge to call on her, Sara didn’t pick on Gina. But when the class was over, Gina had told Amber to go on ahead, she wanted to at least talk to Sara.
Sara too wanted to talk and they waited until the classroom cleared out and then Sara closed the door and they were alone.
Sara turned and Gina was nervously chewing on her bottom lip standing before the desk. Sara came over to her and hugged her. When they stepped back Gina felt very self-concious. Here she was, a gawky little short girl standing before her dignified and poised teacher. With her heels on, Sara’s height was almost an even 6’. She carried herself well and simply had an air of confidence and power about her.
Sara broke the ice " So…how are you doing?"
" I’m holding up…how about you?"
" I’m doing fine…I miss my old life, but it’s very odd. That whole life seems very far away, 29 years away. " Sara replied
" I know…If I don’t concentrate, everything seems normal like this. It’s like I was only an adult in a dream a long time ago"
" Yeah…it feels like this life, this reality is right and the other was a dream."
" It’s like really weird" Gina agreed. " You seem comfortable as a teacher."
" Thanks, it feels right. Are you okay on your classes?"
" Yeah. I know this stuff, even Spanish and I took French when I was in high school…the first time…How are Steve and the boys?"
" They’re great. How are your, my, parents?"
" They’re just fine. I met Aunt Teresa yesterday…Do you have any idea how to get back?" " No…I’m sorry honey, it looks like we’re stuck like this. I don’t know if it’s permanent or not"
" I’m so confused. I know I want my old life back, but this life as a kid seems so right" " Yeah…I know what you mean"
Amber had come back and knocked on the door. " Are you two done in there?" Sara smiled and Gina dropped her eyes to the floor. " Yeah Amber…come on in," Sara said. Amber opened the door and saw the two right next to each other. Gina smiled and went to her friend. Amber had brought her backpack and was ready to go. " Come on Gin…lets get going. You cool here"
" Yeah…I had to ask a few questions of Mrs. Kemper. Have a nice night. I’ll see you tomorrow." " Good night girls. Finish your homework" Sara said with a smile. The two girls bopped out the door and down the hall, Sara just sighed and sat down in her chair. She eased her feet out of the shoes; they were aching badly. She rubbed her feet gently and then sat back and reflected on the day as a teacher; too normal was her thought. It should be strange, but it wasn’t and Sara was at once scared and happy.
Both Sara and Gina quickly fell into their own seperate routines. Sara lived the life of a wife and mother who enjoyed her job as a teacher despite its frustrations. Gina became a typical teenager. She thought of fashion, friends and fun. Both thought little of their old lives, except in dreams and the first thought of the morning. Both of them would awake each morning thinking they had gone back to their old lives, but every morning, they woke up their new reality. They had gone to a usual teacher/student, neighborhood relationship. They saw each other every day. They sized each other up every day, but there was nothing they could do. They had both come to realize that their fates were out of their hands. They would have to wait and see. It had been a month since their lives had been turned upside down when Sara had asked Gina to babysit. Sara had stopped Gina after class on a warm Friday, the last week of May. " Gina…could I have a word with you?" Sara asked as she got the girls’ attention as she was leaving.
" Yeah Sure. What’s up Mrs. Kemper?" Gina replied with an eager look in her eyes. " I was wondering if you could babysit tomorrow evening?"
A look of confused sadness crossed Gina’s young face " Yeah…I guess I can." She said flatly. Sara looked at Gina with pity in her eyes. Sara thought it had been long enough. Gina had adjusted well to being 15. She seemed happy, yet slightly confused and frustrated but Sara felt the same way. She looked over Gina. She was wearing short denim shorts, a white tank top that left little to the imagination and brown sandals. The girl was shifting nervously again, a habit Sara had noticed about the young Gina.
Gina caught herself shifting and twirling her hair again. She was very self-concious around her former student and her new teacher. Gina knew that Sara was better as an adult than she had been. Sara was always so poised and confident. Gina looked her over from her red blouse to her black skirt and black heels at the end of her long legs. Her hair was perfect, as was her make-up. Gina looked up into Sara’s eyes and sighed when she saw the look of pity in the eyes.
" Could you be there at 5? Steve and I were going to go out to dinner first."
" Yeah. I’ll be there at 5" Gina said and turned and left without another sound or glance. Gina sulked all the way home. She had tried to avoid coming in contact with her old life. Most times it was fuzzy and distant yet if forced, she could remember her old life. Gina told Amber that she wasn’t feeling good and that she was going to spend the night in bed. Amber tried to argue with Gina but she had to agree that Gina didn’t look too good.
Gina went straight to her room when she got home. She didn’t turn on a light, she stopped long enough to step out of her shoes before curling up into a ball on her bed and Gina started to cry. When Lydia Sykes came home and didn’t see her daughter Gina, she assumed she had gone out already and was furious but when she asked Natalie and was told she was upstairs in her room not moving, she got worried.
" Honey?" Lydia rapped lightly on the door " Are you okay Gin…"
Gina wiped her eyes " Yes. I’m fine. I just want to be alone." She said softly.
" Can I come in?"