Laura waited till Athena was nearly at the door before pulling away and heading the few short blocks to home.
The entire family went inside, and went about their business. "You seemed to have something on your mind earlier..." Jon said to Zoe.
"Yeah..." she said. The two headed into the kitchen. "Athena figured out some things...I'm picking up some of your behaviors...I mean...not everything...but..."
"Well, you haven't cursed me out or lost your temper all day."
"I'm not sure that's...all of this. I mean...Athena and I have been..."
"Becoming a couple...it's kind of obvious," Jon said. "And you didn't think of her that way before all this, right?"
"No...I mean, Athena is my best friend. I...don't know. I mean...people never see how great she is. She's smart, she's fun...And since all of this, I just have felt kind of...good."
Jon nodded. "Well, same here. I mean...I used to hate Sarah McMillan...but now that I've gotten to spend time with her..."
"I don't think that's the same Sarah she was a few days ago," Zoe interrupted. "I mean...she's changed too."
"Well, for the better, it seems."
"But not Biff...He's still acting like a jerk...Did you see Simon talking to him? And...the clothes he bought at the mall? I mean...where did that come from?"
Jon shrugged. "Proves at least we aren't acting like each other, I suppose. I don't know where this is going. It just felt...nice to just not worry about it all afternoon."
"Well, now I'm worrying about everything. Thanks...of all the traits I had to get from you..."
Jon smiled a somewhat maternal smile. "It doesn't feel as dire as it did yesterday at least."
"Except for Mikey...He's acting like everything is dire."
"He probably has it the hardest. He seems to have gotten some of your bad habits."
"I tried talking to him...but he just gets mad. He doesn't want to talk about it. He just wants to pretend it isn't happening."
"Well, maybe I'll try if he'll let me," Jon said. "I mean...we both look older than our real age."
"If this continues, you'll be the oldest woman in high school," Zoe joked.
Jon paused. "I hadn't thought of that. I suppose we have time before Monday morning to figure that out."
Zoe nodded. "Thanks for the talk."
"Any time..." Jon smiled.
Jon headed up the stairs to find Mikey. He checked his room first and found Karyn playing with Mikey's toys. Then he tried Zoe's room and found Mikey lying on the bed in his new outfit, with a pair of headphones on, listening to music.
Mikey pulled off the headphones. "What?" He asked.
Jon sat on the bed. "Just wanted to talk. I mean...you seem upset."
"Well..duh...I keep saying that," Mikey said. "And none of you are listening."
"Well...fine...I'll be quiet. You talk," Jon said.
"I just...feel stuff...and its new, and I don't get it...and all of you keep acting like I should...and that just pisses me off. I know I was a little kid a few days ago, but I don't feel like one right now, and I don't want to be treated like one, or like Zoe. I mean...her taste in clothes is awful..."
"You like the outfit you bought then?" Jon said.
"Yeah...I just...I know its a dress, but...whatever..."
"I'm not judging you. If you like it...you realize we're both...at least plumbing wise, girls at the moment."
"Yeah, but you want to change back?"
"Do you not want to fix this?" Jon asked.
"Sure, but...those doctors are a bunch of fucking idiots...I mean, they probably know science stuff...but whatever this is...Karyn has a better chance of figuring it out than they do. When Athena and I were hanging out with Zelda...I just felt...like I didn't have to worry about it."
"I felt the same way. But...whatever happens...just remember that I love you, okay?" Jon said. "I'm not trying to do anything but be here for you and the rest of the family."
Mikey rolled his eyes. "Yeah, whatever." But Jon could tell that it did help.
"You want to watch a movie tonight maybe? You can pick...as long as it is family appropriate," Jon offered.
"I think I just want to be alone, okay?" Mikey said.
"That's fine."
