"You said they were twins," said Zoe.
"Oh, yeah, I did," replied Katie. "I guess they are, sort of. Mikey, you can call yourself twins if you want to. It's just that nobody suddenly remembers there being two of you. You weren't born that way."
"I feel funny," said the one on the left, looking downwards. Towards his (?) crotch.
Katie giggled. "I just bet you're the girl. It feels funny talking about body parts to you, but you're old enough to know the difference between boys and girls."
Both of them said "Uh-huh."
"I don't want to be a girl," said the one on the left. She put her hand to her pants and said "But I don't feel my dick."
Ken frowned. Mikey wasn't supposed to use the word "dick". But it could be excused under the circumstances.
"You don't have a choice," said Katie. "It was the only way. At least you'll be normal."
"Ha ha, you're the girl," said the other Mikey.
Ken frowned. "Mikey... No! You heard what Katie said. You're both you. If you laugh at her it's like laughing at yourself. I want to make this clear. You're to treat each other like you would if you were brother and sister the normal way. In fact... you should treat each other like you would if you're both brothers. Katie may have made one of you a girl, but you're both responsible for being that way. The boy isn't better just because he got luckier and stayed a boy."
"Mom," asked Katie, "do you want me to wish that to make sure?"
"No, it's fine," replied Ken. "Now, your mother and I have discussed what name you're going to have. IWe thought it up for the one of you before you were split, but it'll work for the girl now." She pointed at the one on the left. "You, the girl, are now Marie."
"Does she have to wear dresses?" asked Mikey.
"No dresses," said Ken. "If you want to you can, but you can stay like you did before as long as you want. I'm not going to be like a mother in those Internet stories and force you to wear pink dresses and braid your hair and play with dolls just because you're a girl now. Girls can do just about anything boys can except be in the Boy Scouts and maybe play high school football, and you're not old enough for football anyway."
"All right, Mom," said Mikey. Marie, a second later, said the same thing.
Mikey started to run off. Marie looked his way and followed him. Until Ken shouted "I'm not finished yet!"
They both stopped and turned around. "Mom, I'm tired," said Mikey. "I'm sure Marie is too. I want to watch some TV."
"What do we do about the room?" asked Tina.
"I'm not sure," said Ken. "Tina, I want to try something. If it doesn't work we'll change it later."
"All right," replied Tina.
"What are you talking about, Mom?" asked Marie.
"Which Mom?" replied Ken. "Well, it doesn't matter. The problem is your room. You've got the same room you used to have. But there are two of you. We're going to try this just to see if it works. You'll be staying in the same room and everything you own you now share, except for underwear, schoolbooks, your toothbrush, things like keys and wallets, and anything else we think of later. If you really need two of something, ask us and we'll tell Katie to make you another. You're not to look at each other's private parts. Katie will ask the stone to be sure you don't."
"Uh, yeah, Mom," replied Katie. "Sure I'll do it." She didn't have much choice, but it wasn't as if making some extra wishes would take a lot of effort.
"That's all," said Ken. "Katie, please make those wishes. Then we need to discuss something."
"You mean me and Zoe?" replied Katie.
"No, you're old enough to be a little mature about this. I want us to figure out how to do the paperwork."
"Paperwork?"
"You said that everyone still remembers one Mikey. Which means Marie doesn't officially exist. Coming home to have everyone change sex is bad enough; I'm not coming home to find that the INS deported my child...."
