Knock, Knock "Jenna are you awake"
I am now I thought. I climbed out of bed and let Sarah into my room. I glanced at my phone. It was 6.30 am. She was in the pajamas, I was in a black nightie. I secretly hoped she wanted a cuddle.
"You mentioned you wanted to take up running. Is you can lend me some gear I'll join you"
We searched through Jenna's cupboards and found some outfits. Sarah found some shorts and a tee-shirt to wear and I put on some leggings a sports bra and a singlet. We were identical in size so Sarah was able to select a pair of runners. I couldn't help but look as Sarah changed in front of me but kept my thoughts to myself. I took the opportunity to show her the red dress, and ask how to wash it. Her opinion was that it would have to be dry-cleaned.
5 minutes later we were running down the street. Sarah said she would show me her favorite route. I soon found myself blowing. Jenna was not as fit as Sarah and I was struggling to keep up. She slowed down to a pace I could maintain. We ended up going to 'Our spot' the children's playground near the creek which had been our destination when I was in Rod's body. Of course this time we approached from the opposite direction. However there were no cuddles on the grass. After a drink at the water fountain, we started to retrace our route. Half way home I had to stop running. I was exhausted. We walked the rest of the way. Sarah said don't feel bad, she said it was 5 km to the playground, so I had been able to run about 8km. It was a good start.
After a shower and a breakfast of muesli. Sarah left to go home and check on Biddy before going back to the hospital. Mum and Dad went to church, Mum said to pray for Rod. Monique had just arisen while James had yet to show his head. I was wearing a strappy, blue sundress that Sarah had said was one of Jenna's favorites. I had a matching light blue bra and panty set underneath.
"How is the business going?" I asked Monique.
"So so at the moment. We have the occasional good week. We are dipping our fingers in a couple of pies. If they come off we could be set"
'Oh what's that involve?"
"We trying to do a deal with a Chinese travel company. If it comes off we would become their Australian agents. That would mean we would get commission on all packages sold in the country. It could also open the door to Chinese tourists coming here"
"Sounds promising"
"Well if it comes off, we could afford to put on some more staff. It would allow me to scale back my day to day involvement. Don't tell Mum but if we can do that, I'll be hoping to start a family. You never know, you might find yourself an auntie in a year or so"
"I'd like that"
"I'm off for a shower" She left me to finish my coffee.
While she was in the shower James emerged from the bedroom. "Morning Jenna"
"Good morning James" He was wearing short pajamas.
"Have you thought about the deal"
I looked him in the eye "James......If you ever threaten me again you will be exposed and I will do everything in my power to ruin you. ............I am considering your request but only for Monique's sake. Assuming I have a good outcome from my court case you can start making plans. But this is the end. Never again. Understand?"
"Ok"
"And no more gropes on me or Sarah. It's disgusting"
He was cowered "Ok"
I had to get out of there. I went to my room, grabbed my handbag and went to the car. I got in and started driving. I found myself driving to Zach's unit. I parked out the front. I needed another friend right now and Zach was it. I was determined to tell him who I was.
I knew his phone number, my old number. I dialed it.
"Hello" It was my old voice.
"Hello Zach, It's Jenna, Sarah's sister here. I need to talk to you. About Rod."
"Hi Jenna. What's up?"
"I'm out the front. Are you alone?"
"Amanda is here with me"
"Zach it's me. Rod, Zach whoever I was. I was body swapped with Jenna when the accident happened"
"I don't understand"
"I'm the person who was your best mate at school. Now I'm stuck in Jenna's body. It's the real Jenna who is brain dead in your old body"
"Your shitting me"
"No I wouldn't kid about this. I just wanted you to know I am still alive. Even if I'm stuck like this for life. The medallion is lost"
"Look I can't talk now. I'll catch up at a later date. I am happy to know you are still alive. Wow stuck as Jenna. Amanda's coming. I better go. Bye"
I was at a loss as to what to do. I didn't want to go home and face James again and I was not currently in the mood to go to the hospital. I started up the car and drove towards town really not having any particular destination in mind.
There was a local footy game happening and I thought why not, so parked the car and wandered over to watch. It was the Snakes playing, a team I had played for as a junior. I recognized several of the players both from the juniors and from high school. I watched for a quarter but then I was noticed by a couple of guys in the bar area. They started ogling me and made a couple of crude remarks making me feel uncomfortable. I didn't need to put up with that so wandered off.
There was a netball game happening adjacent to the footy field. I wandered over to look at that. It was an open woman's game with quite a crowd watching. I recognized Bianca and Kate from Karen's Wednesday night team in red uniforms. I found myself clapping whenever the Red team scored.
Someone missed a pass and the ball rolled my way. I picked it up and threw it back to the player who was chasing it. It was Bianca. She looked at me for a second and said "Thanks Jenna" then returned to the sideline to throw the ball back in.
Shortly it was half time and I was about to wander off. "Jenna" someone called. I looked across it was Mrs Jones one of the teachers from high school she was walking towards me.
"Hi Mrs Jones" I said.
"Oh Jenna, it's being so long. What are you up to nowadays?"
"I've just started a job as a receptionist at a dentist"
"In town?"
"Yeah"
"Well if you ever want to make a comeback you would be most welcome at the Robins" I saw she was wearing a red polo shirt with 'Robins netball' written on it. "I had better go back and talk to the girls"
I watched her return and talk to Bianca's team. I guessed she must be the coach.
I slowly walked back towards the car. I gave Sarah a ring. "Hi Jenna" she answered.
"Any improvement" I asked
"No" She said. "No sign of life" She was sobbing.
"Should I come across?"
"Please. It's so hard"
"Ok see you soon"
.........
I arrived at the hospital. I found Sarah in a private lounge next door to the room Rod was in. She stood up and hugged me when I entered. "They want me to make a decision - I can't...."
"Has Hilda being in today?"
"Not yet. I spoke to her earlier. She will be here after lunch. Zach will bring her"
"I rang Zach. I told him who I was"
"What was his reaction?"
"I think positive but it was hard to tell over the phone. He had to hang up because Amanda was with him. ....... How about we go and buy lunch. Maybe the café across the road?"
"So long as we sit inside. You look as though you have had a little too much sun this morning" I looked at my arms the were a bit pink. Jenna had paler skin then what I was used to. I had not used sunscreen.
At the café I visited the ladies and saw my face and shoulders were also pink. Sarah suggested that after talking to Hilda and Zach we go back to her place and she could smother me in cream. Otherwise I could be very sore.
We went back to the hospital. Hilda and Zach had not yet arrived. I went in and saw Rod's body. Everything was the same as yesterday. There was no chance of recovery. Sarah had been in earlier and had decided to wait in the other room. So I was by myself.
I went in and held his lifeless hand "Jenna I know you can't hear but I need to talk to you. You robbed me of my life and have condemned me to live yours........ I will try and live your life as best I can. I have lot's of questions I would like to ask you but realize I will not be able to............. I'd like to think I can forgive you but am sure I will always wonder what might have been". I stayed there for 5 minutes. I did resent being stuck. But I was better off than the real Jenna who was...... I don't know where her spirit was, she/he was gone. My feelings were very conflicted. I would just have to continue with life, as Jenna, as best I could.
I left the room and returned to Sarah. Hilda and Zach had arrived. Sarah suggested that she and Hilda go and see Rod. That left me alone with Zach.
He looked at me. "That's you in there Zach?"
I nodded "Yep, Zach for 25 years, Rod for 2 weeks and now Jenna for the rest of my life."
"Can I asked what happened?"
"Jenna stumbled upon the medallion, we accidently body swapped. And well, Jenna went on a bender, and ended up here. We don't know where she/he put the medallion" I didn't want to tell him the details of that last 24 hours., "Even if we did have the medallion I couldn't swap back. I'm Jenna and female for life"
"I'm sorry for you. It was an experience being female for a day. I can't imagine what it would be like to know that it is forever. No more standing up to pee"
"Periods, and high heels. If I ever want to have a family I'll be the mother. It's not where I saw myself a month ago"
"Are you a lesbian?"
"Nope. Very much a heterosexual female"
"Well I am happy to know you are still around. It was a shock to see my old body so mangled. I thought I had lost my best mate as well"
"I hope we can still be friends. We can't be mates as we were before. Amanda wouldn't appreciate you playing video games with me all night long"
"No, that wouldn't work. You will have to become a friend of Amanda's"
"Yeah, best to take it slowly"
The door opened it was Sarah returning. "Have you two had a word?"
"Yeah" replied Zach "It will take some getting used to. But I am happy to know my mate is still around"
"Zach, I have to make decisions about Rod's body. Do I turn off the life support?"
"I think you have to. I know Hilda is resigned to the fact that he won't recover"
"Yeah that's what I was thinking myself"........."What about organ donation?"
"I've always been a supporter of the concept. Now it's my own body old body I still say yes. If it can help someone that would be great"
"What about collecting and freezing some sperm?"
"Well, of course I am in support of that idea. It's my genes, I would like to see my genetic children. However I don't want you to feel under pressure Sarah. If this body is infertile I would like to be able to fall back on Rod's sperm. Maybe freeze some sperm, but it doesn't mean you have to use it"
"Do you have an opinion Jenna?"
"Organ donation yes. Sperm collection - nothing to lose. There is no hurry to use it. Mind you I have no intention of using it myself. Turning off life support - I think we just have to listen to the specialists"
"Ok, I think we are in agreement. I'll need to talk to Hilda when she comes in. ...... Time for a group hug"
I hesitated and Zach looked awkward but Sarah grabbed us both and drew us together. I found myself hugging my two best friends. I had tears in my eyes. What from I'm not sure, maybe relief that we were all still here. We hugged for over a minute. I didn't want it to stop.
It did stop when Hilda entered the room. You could see she had been crying as well. Sarah broke the hug and went across to her. I left the room saying I needed to visit the ladies.
My period still hadn't started. Should I be worried? I brushed my hair. I thought to touch up my lipstick but didn't want to appear too girly in front of Zach. I looked in the mirror, here I was wearing a sundress, I had no choice but to look girly. Though right now I was a sunburnt girly.
I returned towards the room. Zach was outside and said that Sarah and Hilda were discussing Rod with the doctor in charge. While we waited he asked had I watched the footy last night. I admitted that was one interest I had not lost. We discussed the game.
10 minutes later several medical looking people left the room. We entered to find Hilda and Sarah embracing. Zach went and gave them both a hug. Hilda was crying. Sarah beckoned me over and I joined in the group hug.
Sarah eventually said "Unless something miraculous happens they will declare Rod dead tomorrow morning"
"Take me home Zach" said Hilda between sniffles. They said goodbye and left.
"Let's go as well" said Sarah "I need to get out of here. Would you mind ringing Mum and Dad and let them know what we have decided"
I spoke to Mum and informed her of the events at the hospital. I told her I was going back to Sarah's. She said they would cook something for dinner and come over at about 6.
Sarah was already inside by the time I reached her house. After I greeted Biddy, I told Sarah about Mum and Dad coming over. Sarah said "That's good, however we need to look after your sunburn, go and have a cold shower. I'll get my aloe vera cream. It will ease the burning. Call me when you are out"
I did that, my skin was hot and the shower cooled me down. While I was in the shower Sarah bought in a tub of cream. When I was out I dried and looked in the mirror. My shoulders in particular were very pink, other than the white strips where my dress and bra straps had been. My arms and nose were also pink. I smothered the cream across all the burnt areas. It did feel very cool. I put my panties on and called out "Sarah, could you put cream on my back where I can't reach"
"Ok, give me a minute. Go and lie on the bed"
I went and lay on my stomach on the bed. Wearing only my light blue panties. Sarah came in shortly afterwards and smothered my back with more of the cream. She chided me as she did so "You really need to put a hat and suncream on if you are going to wander around in the sun. You are a girl now and need to look after your skin"
As Zach I had skin that would tan rather than burn. Jenna's skin was fairer. I would need to be more careful.
I was secretly hoping that the back rub might lead to something more intimate, however I knew Sarah now treated me as a sister and was not really surprised when she abruptly finished, telling me to dress and left the room.
I returned to the bathroom and put on my bra, sundress and sandals.
We spent the rest of the afternoon on the computer Sarah showing me family photo's. I learnt I had on grandmother, Dad's mum, still alive and living in Melbourne. Eileen's parents who had lived in town had both died about two years ago in quick succession. Emily who I could remember from the engagement dinner was Eileen's only sibling. Dad had two brothers and a sister each with there own families, One brother lived in Brisbane the others were in Melbourne. I had 7 cousins all on the McKenzie side.
I asked about Jenna's netball. Sarah said Jenna had been terrific at netball usually playing as goal attack but had quit when about 16. She said it was about the same time that Jenna had gone off the rails. Jenna had just gone boy crazy and had quit all her other interests including netball and school work. She said "I can remember speculating with Monique whether Jenna was a nymphomaniac" Just great I thought.
Mum and Dad came over, bringing a casserole. Mum's only comment to me was "I see you got a bit too much sun"
Discussion over dinner was about funeral arrangements. Mum volunteered to help Sarah out, saying that unfortunately she had gained a bit of experience in recent years. After dinner I excused myself and drove home.
Once there I searched through Jenna's potions and found a tub of aloe vera cream. I stripped off in the bathroom and applied the cream to all my burnt parts, before putting on my nightie. I was feeling a bit off, bloated and teary. I guessed it had been an emotional day. Maybe a bit of sunstroke as well. I decided Mr Millionaire could wait another night. Instead I picked up one of the books and found myself reading via my bedside lamp. The book was about a heroine captured by pirates. However before I could get into the story I found my eyelids drooping. I shut off the light and was soon asleep.