His entire family was there already. Jon sat down across from his mother. Zoe and Mikey, Jon's younger siblings, had already sat down. They all seemed to take having two moms at the table as normal. Everyone seemed to be able to tell the difference between the two of them. As they sat down, Jon's mom said, "Now remember, while I'm away on business, Jon is your mother. I expect you to treat him the same way you treat me."
"Do we have to?" said Mikey.
"Yes," she said. "Just because I'm gone doesn't mean you won't have a mother to look after you. Jon will just be taking my place, here at home and at work. I expect you to call him 'Mom' and listen to him the way you listened to me. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes, Mom," said Mikey.
After dinner, Jon helped his mother clean up. "Thank you for doing this," said his mom. "I wouldn't be able to go on this trip if you hadn't been willing to take my place at work for a while. I know you don't believe me, but looking like me really will make things easier for you. Now remember, you'll be doing everything that I do. You'll be going to my office in my place while I'm on business. You have the knowledge you need to do the job and when I get back, copies of the experiences will be transferred over to me. You've been excused from school while you're doing this, so you don't need to worry about that. And make sure Zoe goes to school and does her homework. I don't want her playing hookey just because you're 'Mom' now."
"All right, Mom," said Jon. So I'm Mom's double so she can do her regular job and go on a business trip, thought Jon. If I know how to do her job, I wonder if I know how to take care of her body? He had no clue how to operate as a female. He knew he would have to pee sitting down, and Karyn mentioned something about wiping herself when she peed, but that was about it.
"I'm leaving tomorrow," said his mom. "So you'll be starting work tomorrow, too."
That night, Jon slipped into one of his mom's pajamas and went to bed, wondering what it would be like to live as his mom. Meanwhile, his mom fell asleep with a nagging feeling she had forgotten to remind Jon of something...
