Showing posts with label Collaboration. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Collaboration. Show all posts

Saturday, September 10, 2016

New Year’s Expectations (Epilogue)

Though a long process, it was very fun to write this story and collaborate with both BLZBub and Ageiss. I want to thank to both of them.



Prologue and Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

New Year's Expectations

by Ageiss, BLZBub and Planet


EPILOGUE



“Oh, my God, Genevieve, is that really you? You got so big!” said Marianne, her hand over her mouth.

She had just returned from Australia to Carrie’s house, and had just met her other sister Genevive as an adult for the first time, waiting for her before the fireplace. It was shocking enough for Marianne seeing her as a 31-years-old, but what really surprised her was the size of her pregnant belly.

“It’s so good to see you, Marianne!” said the blonde hugging her sister. “Yeah, can you believe I’m about to become a mother? A pity you had to see me like this for the first time, though. I look all swollen.”


“I think you’re gorgeous anyway,” said Marianne. “Wow, there’s really a baby in there!”

The three sisters sat together for the first time in almost seven months… Or twenty years, rather.

“I’m so, so glad to be with you again,” commented Marianne. “You can’t imagine how lonely I got all that time in Australia, believing I was the only one.”

“We got you now,” said Carrie. “We’ll always be together from now on.”

“I’m sorry I missed all that happened to you two,” commented Marianne, then she turned to Genevieve. “Carrie told me about you and Lance. I’m also sorry that didn’t work out.”

“Yeah, so am I, but life goes on. What about you? Were you involved with someone?”


“I had a boyfriend,” admitted Marianne. “But we had broken up just before I was transported here.”

“Oh, that’s too bad,” said Genevieve. “As much as I’m hurt by what happened, I’m glad I got to see life as a married woman. You two missed it.”

“Oh, yeah, Carrie was telling me she has two ex-husbands!”

“I think I’m actually glad I missed that,” reflected Carrie. “For what I can remember, they weren’t particularly happy marriages.”

The redhead laughed and Marianne was somewhat surprised by her eldest sister’s behavior.

“You seem to be taking your divorces really well,” she commented.

“Oh, yes, Carrie has taken all of this quite well,” intervened Genevieve. “I believe she’s quite happy with her life. I even think she might want to stay here forever.”

But Carrie was shaking her head.

“You’ve misunderstood me. I’m not happy I got to miss twenty years of my life. Look at me, I’m almost middle aged. I just don’t think I can do anything to go back, so I’m doing my best to enjoy my stay here. But I would give anything to return and relieve my lost childhood, to be a teenager eventually… to grow into an adult and do all these things for real, without the mistakes, and not miss the best years of my life.”

She took a small sip from the drink she had just poured herself.

“But what I want the most is to be with you, and if we’re all here, then I’m happy I’m staying.”

Indeed, the three of them kept living together for the next four months.

Marianne found a new job at Carrie’s company, and both of them took turns to look after Genevieve, who was having quite an extenuating pregnancy. Marianne in particular was trying to keep her sister in shape through a routine she knew for prenatal women.

“I can’t, I’m too fat right now,” complained Genevieve during their latest session. “This is impossible.”

“Anyone can do anything with the right dosage of effort,” Marianne told her.

“Oh, yeah, well, this can’t be done.”

“A bet, then. If I can touch the ceiling with my back, then you give me your word you’ll keep trying.”

“Okay.”

Marianne smiled deviously as she planted her hand on a wall while she pressed her shoes against the opposite one. Then, she climbed the corridor upwards effortlessly, until her backside moved towards the ceiling.


“See?” she asked, pleased.

“Okay, you beat me,” agreed Genevieve looking at her sister with disbelief. “Your butt and belly are rock-hard, though. I’m so jealous. Mine will probably be flabby forever.”

“I swear I’ll help you make them firm again,” said Marianne.

Indeed, after a few minutes of effort, Genevieve was able to bend in the right position.

It was a few weeks later that Carrie woke up with the feeling there was something important to do.


“Oh, my God, Genevieve is due for today!” she realized after shaking off her grogginess, quickly throwing some clothes over her underwear.

Despite all, Genevieve felt remarkably well that day. She walked on her own all the time, until she was ready to be admitted at the hospital. Both her sisters wished her luck as they rubbed the bump that hid their future nephew or niece (they had all wished to keep the baby’s gender secret until birth).


But after a few hours, and though she had all the right contractions, Genevieve still wasn’t ready for labour.

“The doctors said it could happen any minute now, but I still haven’t dilated enough,” she informed her sisters when they entered her room and sat beside her.

Suddenly, Genevieve started crying.

“Are you in pain?” asked a worried Carrie.

“Well… of course. But it’s not that. It’s just… today was my last chance.”

“Your last chance for what?” Marianne wasn’t sure what her sister meant.

“To go back without feeling guilty. After my child is born… I don’t think I’ll be able to endure going back. But that’s what I want. I also long to live all those lost years. But if I become a mother, then…”

She kept weeping, and Carrie and Marianne joined her silently.

“I also wish we could go back now, before it’s too late,” whispered Marianne.

Just then, they all gasped when a clock chimed 12pm. They turned to see a wooden grandfather clock against the wall of the comfy room.

“That clock… It looks familiar,” said Carrie studying it for the first time.

“Looks just like the one Mom and Dad used to have in their living room,” remembered Marianne.

“That could very well be the same one, since Mom told me they had donated a few of their old things to the hospital,” commented Genevieve, then she clutched her groin. “Oh, my God, I think it’s time! The baby is almost here!”

They all looked away from the clock, which just then chimed for the twelfth and last time, as all three girls felt pressure building inside them and everything exploded in white light.



Marianne closed her eyes to shield them from the blinding flash, and she kept them shut for a while.

Yet, she could tell something had changed abruptly. She was still sitting, but the sensations were very different. She had gotten very used to her large and firm buttocks over the last few months, but suddenly they felt small and scrawny.

She opened her eyes and gulped. She was at her old room… the one she had when she was a little girl, before the time jump. She quickly looked down at herself. Everything was just as she expected. She was 7 again, a bit too big for her age as always, and wearing one of her usual girly clothes.

Marianne was sitting in front of her old mirror, and she stared intently at her reflection. Wow, she looked young and cute. She was suddenly hit about how much her features had changed when she had transformed into a 27-years-old. It would take her a while to get used to this face again.


She looked around lovingly at her old toys and things and couldn’t help but smile widely. She was back.

Genevieve immediately knew something was off. She was suddenly standing, no longer resting over the hospital bed. But what really hit her senses was the lack of weight on her abdomen.

Her hands traveled there and she gasped when she realized her belly was flat, and they traveled up to discover the flatness was apparent upwards too. Her milk-filled breasts had deflated into nothing. She was a 10-years-old again.


She felt light as a feather. She wasn’t pregnant anymore, and in fact, her body was currently incapable of having children. It felt as if she had lost something precious to her, but she knew, deep down, that her time to be a mother wasn’t due yet. She smiled.

Carrie, meanwhile had also noticed her body felt much more energetic than it had been for a while. It didn’t took her long to discover she too was back to being 14. And like her younger sisters, the redhead also smiled, happy to have returned to her proper time and place.


All three of them found each other in the corridor of their parents’ house and they shrieked together “We’re back!”, and they then proceeded to hug each other and laugh, still unused to their childish voices.

“We’re kids!” a happy Marianne yelled, “We’re no longer women!”

“Don’t scream! Remember, we live with our parents again. They could be here and hear us!” warned Carrie.

“I know, this is just so great!” continued Marianne, then she glanced at Genevieve sadly. “I’m sorry you couldn’t have your child. You didn’t even know if it was a girl or a boy.”

“I prefer it that way,” said Genevieve, a bit more serious but still smiling. “I know whoever my child was, I will have it again eventually. When the time is right.”

“Speaking about time,” said Carrie, pointing at the calendar on the wall. “Did you see what day is today? January 1st. 1996! We were gone for just a few hours!”

The three of them stood in there for a while, still looking down at themselves.

“I had forgotten how small I was,” commented Carrie.

“And I’m so skinny,” complained Marianne. “I can’t wait to be able to hit the gym and build my body again. I guess it’ll take a while for us to get used to be kids again.”

“At least you were never pregnant,” nodded Genevieve. “I got to experience everything about being a grown woman.”

“Yeah, you’re not even a virgin anymore, VV,” recalled Carrie.

Genevieve blushed intensely.

“Well, that’s only somewhat true. I was a married grown woman then. I’m a little girl now, and though I remember having done all those things with Lance, the details are kind of blurred. I reckon those memories won’t fully come back until I’m the proper age again.”

“Yeah, I know what you mean,” said Carrie. “I’m also having trouble trying to picture the more adult facts about that life. Still, I remember mostly everything.”

“Me too,” agreed Marianne. “I believe those months were lessons. Maybe we were given those experiences to learn about ourselves so that we can build a better life now.”

20 years later

And build a better life they did.

After spending almost a year as adults, growing up was a piece of cake for the three sisters. Everyone was surprised about how mature they were, but then again, they had kept most of all the knowledge they had acquired after the first time skip.


Carrie, for instance, had retained her nose for business, and from an early age she had started making profit. Now, by the time she had grown back to 34, she didn’t just have a swimsuit brand, but a global clothing company that was among the most successful international corporations.

She hadn’t spent any time in marrying into fame as she had done in her lost life, and had indeed made a name for herself all on her own. Actually, after a couple short-lived relationships, she had decided marriage was not for her.


Genevieve had gone back to being a successful theater actress at first, then jumped to the big screen this time around. Her career had advanced a lot since she hadn't become too besotted to the point of becoming distracted from the rest of her life. Actually, she had never even pursued a romantic relationship with Lance. They were still good friends in this life, but she had learned in the previous one that they loved each other deeply but maybe a bit unhealthily, and she didn't want that for each other again. She had gone on to marry another man, maybe a bit less passionate, but much more centered than Lance.

The really happy event for her had happened recently, when she delivered a girl on the same day she was due in the previous timeline.


Marianne was still very much into fitness, and her body had again developed as impressively as before, but what had grown the most for her was her maturity.

This time, she hadn’t dismissed family values, nor had she eluded responsibilities. So this time, her life had become much less taxing. She had graduated from college and had a steady job which could support her quite well. And though she still loved to go to the gym, the only person she had to train now was herself. She had recently become engaged, and at 27, she didn’t feel like she should have rushed things either.

Growing up again had been a weird experience for all of them, though. Regaining their grown bodies, which they knew exactly how would look, not to mention recapturing their missing behaviors and needs had been strange indeed. Equally odd had been living without the future commodities they had grown accustomed to. They had spent their teenage years wishing they could have a smartphone, but the thing wouldn’t be invented for a few years. And they had also learnt about many historical events that would come to pass during their lifetimes.

And there was yet another thing they had learned: they would never, ever again, wish for anything while standing close to their parent’s old clock.

Tuesday, July 26, 2016

New Year’s Expectations (Part 3)

More from this three-way collaboration.


Prologue and Part 1
Part 2
New Year's Expectations
(Part 3)
by Ageiss, BLZBub and Planet



Carrie (Part 3)
by Ageiss



Carrie hadn’t been up for too long that morning. She had just taken a shower and finished her breakfast when the doorbell rang for the first time since Genevieve had visited her three days earlier.

“Coming!” she yelled, wondering who could be so early in the morning.


She opened the door to face a very young woman, over a head shorter than she was, professionally dressed and carrying a folder.

“Good morning, ma’am,” she said respectfully.

“Oh…” Carrie had to search through her new memories for a few seconds until she identified the face. “Billie. Come on in.”

Billie was her assistant at work, remembered Carrie. She was a highly efficient one too, though she was prone to be a bit of an ass-kisser. The girl simply admired her boss way too much.

Carrie smiled automatically. Her new personality enjoyed flattery. She breathed in heavily as her chest filled with pride, and her breast felt larger than ever to her, suddenly completely aware of her status as a powerful woman.

Carrie thought it was a bit ironic that a grown woman like Billie looked up to her, actually a 14-years-old. Then again, she remembered Billie had just turned 20 recently. That mean she hadn’t even been born yet in Carrie’s original timeline.


“Tell me everything, Billie,” asked Carrie, sitting comfortably over one of her armchairs, wanting to avoid a headache caused by thinking about the contradictions of time-travel.

Billie quickly summarized a couple of reports she apparently had to turn in that day. It was lucky she was so good at explaining herself, since Carrie really didn’t know much about her swimsuit business. But slowly, her memories kicked in as usual and she found herself understanding and answering what Billie said. And some of the information was a bit distressing.

“Wait a moment for me, then,” concluded Carrie. “Ferdinand will drive us to the office.”

“Are you coming today, ma’am? But your holiday isn’t over yet…”

“It’s over now. I want to see things for myself. We’ve hit bad spots many times before, and we’ve always sorted them. Most of those were before your time with us, of course.”

Billie blushed forcefully at her own youth and perceived inexperience, and the old Carrie would have also reddened at finding herself talking like a real adult, but not the new one. Carrie had truly been turned into an experienced woman of world, and she was completely confident in what she was saying. She would take care of her business.


Carrie walked with her head high and a wide smile into the small office building. She thought her employees needed to see she wasn’t worried. Billie was walking hurriedly behind her, like she couldn’t match her pace, despite the fact that Carrie wasn’t speeding at all. Her assistant was phone in hand, calling the remaining members of the board for the last minute meeting Carrie had called.

Carrie was one of just two female members of the board, and also one of the youngest, despite the fact that she had always felt ancient since her transformation. Among these people, 34 didn’t sound that old. Despite that, she was treated deferentially by her colleagues, and whenever one of them tried to put down her opinions, she commanded respect.

“I've been saying it from the start,” repeated one of the members airily. “We should never have expanded to regular lingerie. We simply didn’t have the infrastructure. It was a time bomb, and we should revert to our usual formula.”

“The company needed that expansion, Jerry, and I’m not open to change that. The factory will continue with the lingerie line along with the swimsuit collections, that’s not what we’re debating here. Soon we’ll be known for both products.”

She said that quietly, but the older man didn’t try to discuss it any further. The forceful boss was a woman who was very sure about what she wanted, and the board knew better than to defy her.


6 months later

Carrie was up until late tonight. Her body felt on fire and it vibrated pleasantly under her revealing nightwear as she watched the erotic film.

Unlike her sister Genevieve, who had explored her adult sexuality with her husband, Carrie had decided she didn’t need the complications of having a man in her life. Even though she hadn’t really lived it, she didn’t want to repeat the mistakes of her “past”, when she already had two ex-husbands. And she was sure she could get a lover without any attachment, but it wasn’t something she didn’t feel comfortable with, despite her personality changes.

But the aging woman had physical needs of her own ever since her sudden maturation and matching hormonal increase. During the first months, she had tried to ignore them, but now that more than half a year had passed since the time-skip, she had turned to erotic films as a harmless form of release.

Even with her improved confidence, she had felt quite silly watching them at first, but soon she had felt very comfortable about her sensual side. And why shouldn’t she? She was a very fully-grown woman after all. In April, she was supposed to have turned 15, but she had become 35 instead. And she had celebrated that birthday overtly.


Because she wasn’t scared about her age any more either. In just five short years, she would be 40. Not even her father had been that old in her original time, but she thought she just had to accept things like they were if she wanted to enjoy her few remaining years of youth.

Other than being cheated out of two decades of life, her existence was quite comfortable. She had learned a lot in the last months, especially as a business woman. She had been right, and after just a few adjustments, her company had emerged even stronger than before. Even her detractors on the board had to admit she was right, and they all had a collective laugh when she turned to the next meeting wearing a particular t-shirt.


Yet she couldn’t be wholly happy while her younger sister was missing. They still hadn’t been able to track down Marianne. She had tried to contact her again, when she had failed to return her first call, but it seemed she wasn’t living at her flat any more.

“Maybe she doesn’t want to be found,” concluded Genevieve during one of their get-togethers. “Maybe when she found herself turned into an adult, she decided to run away and do her own things, like she always wanted. I think if she were in trouble, she would call us, you know how she is.”

But Carrie knew how her little sister was, that was the thing. Of all three of them, Marianne was the one who wanted to grow up quickly the most. Carrie was sure she had been beyond excited when she found herself transported into her adult body, and Carrie knew things could have gotten a bit crazy after that, which fitted with Genevieve’s theory.

But Carrie also knew Marianne would have tried to at least contact them and tell her sisters she was fine, and the long silence was starting to preoccupy her.

So that night, after she hung a call from Billie, who told her everything was okay at the company, Carrie made her decision. Everything was at control on the home front right now, so now her debt was to family. She was the big sister, and it was her responsibility to look after her little one (even if by little she currently meant 27).


And indeed, after packing a few things and booking a plane ticket to Australia, she was feeling much better about herself. She would do what she could to find Marianne.




Genevieve (Part 3)
by BLZBub





Genevieve returned to her apartment with a greater sense of ease about her situation. She wasn’t alone in this strange time travel thing. Carrie had also leaped forward in time. Whether Marianne had as well, she didn’t know. But Marianne did want her independence from the rest of the family and Genevieve could respect that. As long as she at least Carrie to talk to, she could live this new life.

Of course, that brought up the question about what to do about Lance. Quite obviously, he hadn’t been brought into the future like Genevieve had. Though in many ways, he hadn’t changed much from the boy she knew not so long ago, relatively speaking. He was still kind, poetic, devoted, and, above all, loved her with every fiber of his being.

Looking over the various photos of Lance helped Genevieve remember warm memories of him during the years she skipped over, the great passion they shared over the years well into adulthood. Those memories soon reignited the fire in Genevieve’s heart as well as the one in her loins. What she was she so afraid of? This is the life she had been dreaming of for so long: a happy marriage with Lance. Her parents were still not too far away so she didn’t have to worry about them and not only was Carrie close, but she knew exactly what she was going through.

The idea of starting a family with Lance was getting more appealing to Genevieve. She had always dreamed of having children with him. And conceiving them was also something that appealed to her adult mind. It would still be a while before Lance came home, but she had a good idea of how to make the time fly.


Genevieve spent quite a lot of time practicing seductive poses in various states of undress. Lance wouldn’t be able to keep his hands off his gorgeous sexy wife as soon as he saw her. But eventually, she got it down to the right look she wanted.


Eventually, she heard Lance walk into the apartment and call, “V.V., I’m home!”

“I’m in the bedroom!” she called.

Lance walked into the bedroom and grinned when he saw his wife on the bed. “What’s the occasion?” he asked.

“Oh, not much,” said Genevieve, “Just part of a little New Year’s goal.”

“And what’s that?” asked Lance with interest.

“We’re going to have sex at least once every day of this year until there’s a baby inside me,” purred Genevieve.

“Sounds like a good goal to me,” said Lance, not even bothering to question what made her change her mind about slowing down. But the sight of Lance taking off his shirt, revealing his toned chest to Genevieve was more than enough to not make her care. Pretty soon, their bed was rocking as they moved together. Genevieve had no idea how many tries it’ll take them to conceive a baby, but this was certainly something she was going to enjoy.


6 months later


Considering how often Genevieve and Lance had made love that within the first month, it was no wonder the pregnancy test came out positive. Naturally, the two of them were overjoyed at the news. Lance wanted for Genevieve to stay at home during her term, but Genevieve insisted that she could still leave the house. After all, she did have to keep finding new productions to be a part of. Even so, it was very sweet of Lance to be so considerate of her.

However, as the months passed, it became harder for Genevieve to find work. Her baby belly was getting larger and of course most theaters preferred a slimmer actress. She was getting stuck with smaller roles that kept her to the side. Her source of income was rapidly starting to dwindle.

Meanwhile, Lance was always there to support her. Unfortunately, it wasn’t quite the support that Genevieve needed. While he was willing to take care of her every little minute she was home, he was neglecting his job at the local newspaper. Freelancer or not, he had to actually turn work in to get a regular pay and he’s paying far more attention to Genevieve than anything else.


Genevieve was walking her parents’ dog as she thought about her financial problems. She was glad she was able to speak with her parents again, though they seemed rather concerned about her current condition. Genevieve was able to dismiss it as simple motherly/fatherly concern at first, but as her belly grew bigger, their concern started to make more sense. Her memories of her first year of marriage indicated that she and Lance had made no future plans regarding their eventual child. The only thing they’ve done was get a crib, various toys, and plenty of diapers. Come to think of it, from what she could recall, she and Lance seemed to live more in the moment than anything else. They never seemed to think ahead further more than a few months. Maybe it was time for her and Lance to have a serious discussion about that.


Genevieve wasn’t surprised to see Lance already at home when she walked into the apartment. He rarely seemed to leave the place now. “V.V., glad you’re back,” said Lance, “I’ve made up a snack for you. You must have built up quite an appetite.”

Genevieve sighed and said, “Lance, we need to talk.”

“About what?” asked Lance.

“About our future,” said Genevieve, “We don’t have anything planned ahead except for waiting for the baby to come.”

“Actually, I have something,” said Lance, “I noticed you seemed down lately so I worked a bit on getting something.”

“You’ve gotten a better job?” asked Genevieve hopefully.

“Uh…no, why would I want one?” asked Lance with confusion before saying, “Anyways, I’ve gotten enough supplies together so we can go on a road trip.”

“A road trip? To where?” asked Genevieve.

“Wherever we want. It’s just the two of us on the open road for a few weeks,” said Lance.

“Weeks? Lance, you couldn’t possibly have enough food for that much time. And how are we going to be able to pay for gas?” demanded Genevieve.

“Oh, we’ll worry about that when we come to it,” said Lance.

“That’s your answer for everything!” snapped Genevieve, “Lance, we can’t keep living like this! I can’t get a job because of my shape and I might not be able to perform for a few months after the baby comes. And you’re barely doing anything at all!”

“That’s not true,” said Lance, “I’ve been taking care of you. Isn’t it enough that we’re together?”

It was in that moment that Genevieve finally saw Lance for who he truly was. He loved her truly and he was handsome, but that was all he had going for him. He was nothing more than a love-struck puppy who cared only about pleasing his mistress. Whatever brainpower he had was fully devoted to making her happy but only in the immediate time. He was going to unwittingly send them both into poverty with his inability to plan ahead for finances.

Genevieve sighed as she realized what she had to do, even if it was going to hurt them both. “No, Lance, we’re not going to go on a road trop. I’m going to go stay at my sister’s,” she said.

“Ok, how long will we be staying with her?” asked Lance.

“No, I’M going to be staying with my sister,” said Genevieve, “You aren’t coming with me, not until you’ve gotten this situation straightened out.”

Lance frowned and said, “Straightened out? I don’t understand.”

“Exactly!” snapped Genevieve, “You don’t understand! Not at all! How do you expect us to raise a child with the money we have? How will we be able to send him or her to school or college? At this rate, we won’t even be able to keep this apartment! I know you love me and I do love you, but that’s just not enough. And until you can get your priorities straight and figure out an actual plan, I don’t want to see you.”

With that, Genevieve headed back out the door, not bothering to grab anything. She had to leave quick before Lance fully grasped what she was saying and came after her. Fortunately, she still had enough money to get a taxi to drive her to Carrie’s. Lance won’t be able to reach her from there, something she both hoped for and dreaded.


Genevieve could have chosen to stay at her parents’ instead of with her sister, but there a few reasons she chose Carrie. First, Lance would have a much harder time getting into Carrie’s place with its security system. Second, Carrie would be easily able to afford to house Genevieve and can supply her with clothes since she had to leave everything behind. Third, Carrie knew that Genevieve was cast forward in time, much like herself, and would be able to understand her better. Fourth, Genevieve couldn’t bear to hear her parents say ‘we told you so’.


Genevieve’s parents knew Lance wasn’t a bad guy. He had a good sense of honor and morals, but not a very sharp mind. Her parents were worried that Lance’s slavish devotion to his wife would make him forget about supporting them both financially. Her folks were perfectly right and Genevieve should have realized it sooner.

However, looking through the memories of the years she skipped over, it became clear that she was little better than Lance. The two of them had been such a ridiculously love-struck pair. It was a wonder the two of them had gotten anything done. It seemed that Lance had barely changed at all from the boy he used to be. Genevieve didn’t miss the irony that sending her younger mind into the future had made her more mature than the way she had grown up normally.

But now Genevieve was stuck in her sister’s place, with a baby coming in a few months. She couldn’t depend on Carrie’s generosity to keep Genevieve and her child indefinitely. Maybe Genevieve could go into higher levels of acting, like TV shows or advertisements. She probably could have done so earlier if she hadn’t been just as sickeningly obsessed with Lance. And yet for all his flaws in foresight, Genevieve couldn’t just leave Lance for good, but what was she to do with him?

Genevieve sighed to herself. What a fine mess she had gotten herself into. The only comfort she had was that Carrie would soon be bringing Marianne home soon. Even if Marianne hadn’t also been brought into the future, it would still be good for her sister to be back.





Marianne (Part 3)
by Planet






Living near the coast certainly had its perks. The 27-years-old little girl had a lot of fun for the next two days, but she had to cut that short.

Holidays were over quite soon for Marianne. When you were in such a desperate need for money, you couldn’t refuse even one paying client. She had to start at the gym again.

Her new (or rather old) workplace was a very big and fancy fitness center. Much bigger and fancier, indeed, than the tiny gym-in-progress she owned.


Marianne changed into her workout clothes. She had grown accustomed to the feel of spandex stretched across her taut body, and in fact it had become one of her favorite things about being an adult.

Her client today was a young woman, maybe around her same age, but her body shape was a far cry from Marianne’s, she thought with both pride and pity.

The girl kept looking dreamily at her trainer as Marianne helped her with her routine, as if she hoped to get her figure through the power of wishful-thinking. But Marianne had gotten enough experience about fitness to know this one wouldn’t go far.


As much as she had grown to love exercising herself, training her clients was a dull work. The first two were simply too sluggish to progress, and the third one, a guy, seemed more interested in seeing Marianne’s squats than in trying them himself.

She was waiting for her fourth client when he texted her and said he wouldn’t be able to go that day. Marianne grunted. She really needed the money. On the other hand, she was exhausted.



One perk of working at the fitness center, was that she was able to use the pool area.

She felt immediately refreshed. It was the first time she really was there, but with her added memories, she thought she would miss it when she left this workplace.

Her attention was soon caught by a big, musclebound guy who was walking straight at her. She hadn’t seen him before, but she knew he was Mike, a coworker who was also a trainer there, and who had been her boyfriend for two years until they broke up not so long ago, but was still her partner at the business venture Marianne was trying with the small gym.

“Hey, Marianne,” he greeted her.


She removed her glasses to better look at his chiseled torso. They weren’t together any more, but Marianne suddenly remembered she missed him a bit. He was a muscle brain, but he had been a good lover… or so her brain told her.

“Mike, what’s up?”

“I wanted to talk to you. Are you free?”

“Yeah, my last client bailed on me.”

“That sucks. Well, shall we come inside?”


Marianne followed him into the interior area of the pool and took seat there. She was intrigued about what he wanted to tell her. He seemed nervous and she smiled. Maybe he wasn’t over her after all, though she wasn’t sure if she wanted to take him back. In any case, it would be fun to toy with him for a while.

“You see, Marianne…”

A loud yell interrupted him. She looked up to see a blonde girl walking in their direction, her arms wide open.

“Cutie-pie!”

She closed her arms around Mike and kissed him extensively. She was Laura, who worked on the SPA as a receptionist and was Mike’s new girlfriend.

“How are you, dearie?” she asked. “Hey, Marianne.”

“Hey,” she answered drily.

Mike seemed more uncomfortable now, and so did Marianne, who looked at Laura with a critical eye. She was pretty, but she had no ass, she thought, and wondered how Mike could stand her after being with a real woman like Marianne.

There was a long silence.

“So, what did you want to tell me?” she asked after a while.

“Uhm. Nothing important really. I have a client that isn’t working for me, but I think he can fit perfectly in your routine. I guess you can take him, if you want.”

“Oh… okay. Thanks.”

Mike got up and so did Laura. But Marianne stayed just there.

“Come on, honey,” said Laura with a giggle.

“Coming,” said Mike, but before turning away, he spoke lowly. “Come around later, Marianne. I really need to tell you something.”

As soon as she was done for the day, Marianne started walking towards Mike’s apartment. She knew the address instinctively, as so many other things, and she remembered having spent many nights in there.

Mike was alone at his place, and Marianne sat in front of him without any ceremony.


“What couldn’t you tell me in front of Laura?” she inquired.

He paced trying to gain some time.

“Uhm… It’s just that… Hell, Marianne, this isn’t easy.”

Marianne knew Mike wasn’t a particularly sensitive guy. Opening his heart was probably quite painful to him.

“See, I’ve been meaning to tell you for a while, but then… I wasn’t sure yet, and I didn’t want to worry you until I was. Sure, I mean.”

“Yes?”

“You see… I don’t think I can continue the gym plans with you.”

That wasn’t what she was expecting.

“What?”

“I think it’s too much for me, and I’m not ready. I’m much more comfortable working for others than running things myself.”

“But this was your idea in the first place…”

“I know, but it’s taking much more time and money than I thought, and I’m just not sure it’ll work for me,” he said. “It’s always felt more yours than mine, in any case, so I’m sure you’ll do fine by yourself. I will sell you my part, so don’t worry. I’m sure you’ll come around to finish it eventually…”

Marianne couldn’t believe it. In this future, where she had lost her life and her family, the gym was the only thing she had left. Her only dream. Her only chance at financial stability, even.

“You know I can’t do this on my own. I'll never be able to make it now. And you know Paula is leaving. I won’t even have an place to stay.”

“I’m very sorry, Marianne. I really am. But there’s nothing I can do now.”


6 months later



“Come on, go lower,” insisted Marianne to her newest trainee, showing the correct form herself.

She was still working at the fitness center. The gym she had been trying to build was by now all but a crushed dream.

The small place was still there, unfinished; it’s only use was as Marianne’s improvised sleeping place. She had put on a mattress in there and she spent her nights within the incomplete fantasy.

She even sold back most of the equipment, and was now about to sell the locale itself in order to be able to rent a proper apartment again.

“Good, I think you made a good workout today,” lied Marianne, and her client smiled satisfied.

She sighed and went to change. She couldn’t believe it was July already, and that she had spent half a year in the body and life of a 27-years-old woman. She couldn’t believe it was possible, but she missed being 7. She might have been a skinny shrimp back then, but at least she had a lovely family and no responsibilities.

Nevertheless, she was proud about how she had been able to survive those responsibilities. She had matured so much she couldn’t believe it, not just beyond the little girl she really was, but also beyond the careless young woman she had become when she had been transported to this future.

But pride wasn’t enough to make her happy. As hard as she had fought, she was still leading a hard-life.


“Marianne, your next client is waiting for you at the pool,” told her one of her workmates.

“In the pool? They had told me she wanted to do some weight training,” she said disappointed, because she had just changed her bathing suit by workout clothes.

“Don’t worry, I think you scored nicely with this one. I know I’ve seen her somewhere. I believe she’s a model from overseas, or something like that. I bet she has good money.”

“That’s interesting.”

Marianne went to the pool area and saw a woman with reddish hair and a green bikini waiting for her there. She was a few years older than herself, but was incredibly fit for her age and rather attractive.


“Marianne? Is that really you?” said the redhead turning around to see the trainer.

“Uhm… yeah. Who…?”

Marianne suddenly was hit with recognition. This was her eldest sister, Carrie, also turned into an adult.

“I can’t believe my little sister turned into this…” she said amazed.

“Carrie? How…? Did you get transported into the future as well?”

“Yeah, and so did Genevieve. I don’t know why, but all three of us changed on New Year!”

“On New Year?” Marianne couldn’t understand it. “How is that possible? I called you as soon as I could, and you said nothing had happened to you. I thought I was the only one!”

“What? No, we never talked! I called you the next day, but you weren’t there, and after that I could find you again at your number,” explained Carrie.

“Yeah, I lost that flat.”

 “Come on, sis. Let’s go inside. We need to talk.”


Carrie put on a loose long blouse over her swimsuit and she turned towards Marianne.

“Do you say you talked to me that night? Why can’t I remember it?”

“But I did. I spoke to you. You said everything was normal, and then you told me you were going to a party…”

“Wait!” Carrie was trying to put the pieces together. “I was going to party? But I found myself like this DURING the party. How come you were speaking to me before that?”

“I also woke up here at a party, just at midnight,” said Marianne.

“That’s it! New Year comes first in Australia! You were transported through time before Genevieve and I! So you did speak with me... but I still didn’t have my past consciousness, so I had no idea what were you talking about!”

Marianne felt numb.

“I’ve been alone in here for almost seven months, thinking I was the only one who had transformed just because… time zones?"

"Yeah, I guess it was just an unfortunate mix up. But don't worry. You're not alone any more. I've come here for you. Genevieve is waiting for us back home.”


Epilogue




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Only the epilogue to go.

Meanwhile, here's a little teaser of what's about to come. Not counting the pictures, it's 80 pages long at the moment, and still not ready!