Jon dove into the cool crystal water of his backyard pool, relieving both the heat of the afternoon and the stress of another busy day. There seemed to be no end to his career success since Karyn's wish for him to make better career choices, so the opportunity to relax at home was something he cherished. Under the water things became focused, the world became small. Jon loved swimming, always had, but in his new life more than ever did it feel important, needed.
He came up on the other side of the pool, flipping his long, blond hair behind him as he did. Then, surveying his estate with a smile, he leaned back against the pool edge, allowing his bikini-clad breasts to bob in the water ahead of him.
His wish hadn't ended up exactly as he had envisioned, but he had made it work. It was better than the alternative, the life he would never lead, the one where he was married to either Chris or Scarlett, the one where the one he didn't choose would be hurt, alienated, the one full of pain and rejection that he wouldn't allow his heart to know.
No, his life wasn't what he had hoped for, but it was good. When he'd said, "I wish I could make these relationships work," that fateful day, Jon would never know how much it would change the nature of his relationships.
"Darling," Scarlett called out to Jon from the doorway, looking as beautiful as ever in her yellow maternity dress, "I just felt the baby kick!"
"That's wonderful," Jon called back in Scarlett's own voice. He hardly ever used his old, male voice anymore. It wasn't useful. The public knew him a certain way, and what they thought had become increasingly important to him as Karyn's wish played out longer and longer. "Give Chris a chance to feel it. He's been begging me to give him permission."
"Yes sir," Scarlett said, her face flush from obeying Jon.
That had been the first change Jon had noticed. After he had said his wish the day Chris had proposed, Jon had run upstairs as quickly as his high-heels and minidress would allow him. In the bedroom where Scarlett was frantically packing, he could hear her alternating between sobbing and swearing, cursing Jon's name, crying over his loss. She turned to see him enter the room, venom in her eyes, mascara on her cheeks.
"What the fuck do you want," she shot at him, grabbing a handful of clothes to shove into a bag.
"Scarlett," Jon said, "stop. We need to talk."
Then, to Jon's surprise, Scarlett did just that. She stopped. Clothes in her arms, poised to drop into the bag, Scarlett froze. Her face had a slightly confused look on her face, but she didn't move a muscle.
"Fine," she sighed, "If you want to talk, then talk."
Jon stepped into the room and leaned back, resting his behind on the large dresser near the doorway. Scarlett was still standing there, waiting for him, not moving at all. Jon had begun to wonder what exactly his wish had done.
"This thing with Chris," he began, "It's not what you think."
"Not what I think?!" her voice was frantic, but still she didn't move, "You're marrying him! How could that not be what I think?!"
"Yes, I'm marrying him," Jon continued. He knew better than to think he could get out of marrying Chris Evans. It was wished, and so it would happen, "but that doesn't have to change things between us."
"How could it not change things between us?" she screamed, "We've been down this road before, Jon, and you remember how it went. He told us to choose between him and Candy! What, are you going to kick her to the curb as soon as I leave? I don't even know who you are anymore!"
"Scarlett, look at me," Jon said. Scarlett stood straight, clothes in her arms, tears on her face, and turned to look Jon in the eye. "Scarlett, you know I love you, and of course I love Candy. So I happen to love Chris too. There was a time you did too."
"That was before I realized how much of a pig he was."
"Stop it," Jon said firmly, "being mean to Chris isn't going to help anything. I'm going to marry Chris, but you're not going anywhere. Me marrying Chris isn't going to change anything except that Chris is now back in the picture. Candy's not going anywhere, and neither are you."
Another brief look of confusion, then satisfaction crossed Scarlett's face. She breathed heavily for a moment, then, "Okay."
"Okay?" Jon asked, befuddled by the quick turn of events.
"Okay. You're right," Scarlett said, panic gone from her voice, "I'm so sorry I doubted you, Jon. Maybe next time you can include me in the decision making, but I can see now that you're right. I know you'll fix it."
Still staring at Jon in the eyes, she smiled.
"I must look a mess!" she said, all trace of the anger gone from her, "Do you mind if I put these clothes down and clean myself up?"
"Go ahead," Jon said, wondering why she needed permission.
"Thank-you, sir," Scarlett said, blushing, then scurrying off to clean herself up.
It didn't take long for Jon to do the math. Scarlett, Chris, and even Candy began obeying Jon's every whim. Gone were arguments, gone were disagreements, leaving Jon in charge of a happy, but full, home. He understood, though, that this was the only way. His family was complicated. A movie starlet, a man who looked and sounded exactly like her (with the exception of his penis), a call-girl who excelled at feminizing men, and an action movie star. Making that work would take leadership. Jon's wish had created exactly that. A leader.
"Oooh!" Scarlett squealed again, snapping Jon back to the present, "he kicked again!" Jon grinned. Scarlett's pregnancy had created an excellent career boost for him, being able to take every role she would turn down, plus the roles he was offered himself. He was the busiest star in Hollywood, and he loved it. Another month and Scarlett would pop, and he would be a father. Jon knew it was the Karyn's career wish motivating him, but he was seriously considering getting her knocked up as soon as he could just to keep her out of competition for his roles.
"That's great, honey," Jon said, pushing off of the pool side and floating on his back, "Now go make sure that Candy isn't pushing Chris too far. He still needs to think of his career, and if she takes him too far down the path, well, it's going to limit the roles he's able to take."
"Of course!" Scarlett said, turning back into the house, leaving Jon in peace. He had a busy day ahead of him the next day, so Jon wanted to make sure that he enjoyed every chance to relax the he could.
