"You can do that?" Linda asked, for it all was a lot to take in.
"Yes, I can. See it's not all just investing and deal making around here, its also about the luck you make for yourself to keep yourself on top"
"Now, there a couple solutions here, and not all of you are going to like any of them, but I want it clear, the choice is mine, so lets all shut up and get this over with."
Choice one. I could make Linda and Jon here rich like us, simple, easy." Linda looked at Jon like they had just won the lotto "but that would mean in the deal that Linda would be my mistress or side piece or whatever, and Jon, or Jane, would also be your rival Sarah. She might even be better than you at being the pretty popular girl, and it would serve you right."
"Wait why am I Jane all of a sudden?" Jon asked.
"Because she wished you'd see what it's like to be like her, and she is a girl so you'd have to be a girl too."
"Well, I'd rather not that then." said Jon.
"Yes, I'd rather not share you either." Susan said, suddenly staring daggers at Linda for even the idea of her encroaching on her man.
"Fine, I'd rather not give anyone reason to divorce me, so no, that's not the route we will be going."
The other interpretation of the wish is a swap, and we could do Jon for Sarah and Susan for Linda, but see....that's not good for me, and lets not kid ourselves about why I'm here.
The stone began to glow.
"First you my dear. You made this mess, so you should have the worst of it."
Suddenly Sarah began to age, looking like college aged kid, but then quickly wear and a bit of weight for the first time as she entered her twenties, late twenties, and finally settling somewhere in her late 30's. It was like watching a sunset, she grew more beautiful, peaked around 25, then seemed to fade into a more mundane and natural looking woman. This version of Sarah was still pretty, but now around Linda's age the two women looked like they were here for a book club together. It was weird to see Sarah's face with lines on it, to see the perfect girl become just an average woman. It was also strange because she was still dressed as a teenager, which now made her look ridiculous instead of alluring. "Daddy No!"
"Silence!" Richard retorted. and suddenly Sarah's hair began to show signed of beginning to gray. Just a few strands but it was enough to shut her up, the effect was that she now looked not only like a mother, but one who had dealt with actually raising her kids, she looked tired.
What Richard had taken from Sarah, pushing her forward in her life, left the void of who she had been in the center of the room, which felt like an urgent need which needed to find a place quickly.
"Linda, would you do me a favor and come over here." Richard entreated
Linda crossed the room and as she did she passed through that void and in so doing filled it with herself. The feeling was pleasurable and she giggled.
"Tell me what you were like in High school." he asked
Linda began to speak " I guess I was pretty normal, I was with the theater kids for the most part but was kinda shy, I didn't really work out who I was till I think college when I met Jon's father, so it kind feels like I spent a lot of High school hiding." As she spoke you could see her mind turn back to remember what it was like all those years ago, and as her mind went back her body began to follow.
"If you could do it again would you do it differently?"
"Of Course!" the now late twenties Linda responded. "I'm watching Zoe and Jon do it all wrong, you are young! You should be doing everything, be fearless, get in trouble! Kiss Karyn for gods sake already!" She chided Jon as she passed into her early 20's and age and care seemed to melt from her face, as well as a few pounds.
"If I were to do it again, I'd want to be the popular, to be seen, to be wanted, to be the homecoming queen and whatever else I could be. I'd play sports and do plays and date guys!" She passed from her twenties into her late teens, and as she did her hair gained a luster, her body a nimbleness. It was like all the advantages of age and children had stayed with her as she youthened, while the wear and tear was lost, creating a Linda that was much more attractive (read: endowed) than she had been the first time she was this age. As she settled in at 17 she looked the best she ever had, and felt a surge of energy too. Jon was shocked.
"Mom?" Jon puzzled. It's one thing to see a hot girl, it's another to see your mom as that hot girl, Jon felt both very attracted to her and at the same time knew that was very wrong.
"Touch grass, I'm 17, I'm not doing the mom thing." Linda responded. "at least not with you" Linda had become very interested in checking herself out in the mirror.
Richard turned his attention to the other two in the room.
"Half way there, now comes the hard part"
