Lisa looked herself and her family over, sighing. She was 19 now, the age she had been when she became Katie’s guardian. As she thought about that time she remembered how difficult things had been. She was the sophomore at college at the time, attending on a volleyball scholarship. That happened to be the last time her family got together for Thanksgiving, Lisa and Marilyn ended up getting into a fight over Katie. Marilyn believed that her and Martin would be able to provide a better home for the infant Katie. Lisa, undeterred, refused. Katie’s mom had left Katie to Lisa in her will. Still devastated to have lost her older sister Lisa was determined to honor her sisters wishes and raise Katie to the best of her ability.
Now Lisa and her family were the ages of that very holiday. Lisa realized the ring had altered all of them to reexperience that night. Looking at her 48 year old mother and 50 year old dad she sighed. “So something tells me the ring decided to make us this age to right some wrongs,” she said. “Hopefully though the damage here is permanent.”
“What do you mean mom,” Gloria asked, noticing the concerned look on Lisa’s face. “It’s....Nothing,” she sighed. “When this is all over your father and I will tell you.”
Lisa now approached Jason, admiring her handsome 20 year old husband. “Glad we’re in this together at least,” she smiled. “Going to need your help if things start getting real weird.” Before Jason could say anything the family noticed a ripple beginning to emanate through the house. Alarmed the groupnwatched as the house began to change. “Gloria what’s happening,” Lisa asked, her voice becoming tense. “I don’t know mom,” Gloria answered.
Slowly they watched as the walls and pictures decorating the house began to change. The fancy plasma t.v. In the living room began to change, transforming into Ann older big screen t.v. The phones in their hands changed as well. No longer the smart phones they were accustomed to they watched in fascination as they transformed into cellphones from the 90s. The primitive technology now only made phone calls and had no internet connection at all. Gloria gaped at the ancient technology, shocked people actually had phones that had no apps on them.
“What the hell,” Jason muttered, as he saw the pictures transform from his family into Lisa’s. “The...the house look at it. It’s....it’s your parents house now!”
The others gaped at family photos scattered around the home. Gone were pictures of Gloria and her family, replaced instead of Lisa and Ann growing up with theirs. Gloria could see pictures of each sister after they graduated from high school as well as family photos of when the girls were younger. The three sisters in the pictures smiled brightly as their parents stood behind them. Sensing something was amiss Lisa quickly turned on the t.v.
“Welcome to the Macy’s Thanksgiving day parade 1998,” the announcer said. The family gasped as they watched the parade stream by. As quickly as she had turned the t.v. On Lisa shut it off throwing the remote onto the couch. “1998,” she exclaimed. “Holy shit! Gloria! Did the ring just take us back in time?”
Gloria stared down at the ring before shaking her head. “N...no mom,” she whispered. “The ring is justntryong to make things more authentic. I mean, you were only 19 back then. Maybe...maybe the ring is just trying to recreate the scenario.”
Lisa sat down heavily as she looked around the room. “This is a bit much,” she whispered.
“What do you mean,” Marilyn asked, sitting down next to her daughter. Lisa sighed as she looked at her mom. “Well,” she started. “I’ve seen the ring alter reality before but never like this. It’s....it’s almost like we went back in time.”
As the family talked they suddenly heard Ann race down the stairs. Looking at the now 22 year old woman they could see she still embraced some of her goth roots but had to tone it down ever so slightly. A dark T-shirt and jeans with a couple of purple streaks in her shoulder length hair replaced her previous teenage goth appearance.
“Gloria,” she said, sounding worried. “Something really weird is going on.”
“What happened Ann,” Gloria asked.
Ann slowly approached her family, holding her transformed cellphone out for everyone to see. “Well first my cellphone turned into this,” she said. “Secondly, I was just talking with Jackie. She’s changed too, she’s 22 now also.”
Gloria and Lisa gaped at the news as they tried to figure things out. The ring appeared to be altering things dramatically to make this event feel as authentic as possible. Their were some changes though, such as Jackie being aged up to now be Ann’s best friend. Lisa now neevously picked up her phone as she began to call Katie.
“Mom What are you doing,” Gloria asked.
“Calling your sister,” Lisa said quickly. “If Jackie has changed it might of affected Katie as well. What if SHES 20 years younger too? I need to know if she s Okay.”
“Mom Katie has her necklace,” Gloria said. “She should be okay, it keeps her immune from these types of things.” Lisa remained undeterred though as she frantically punched Katie’s number into her phone. After several rings Katie finally answered.
“Katie , thank god,” Lisa sighed. “Listen are you okay? Yes I know I sound different, I’m only 19 right now. The ring of course. Listen, we can talk later I need to know if your okay. Uh huh, uh huh. A headache? You and all your friends have headaches? Okay, listen tell the. All to come here, be safe okay, the world....is kinda different.”
Lisa exhaled as she now looked at everyone. “Katie’s fine,” she sighed. “But she did notice some strange things. She said everything looked older....less modern. She says her and her friends all have headaches now but none of them have changed. They’re driving over her now and will be here in 20 minutes.”
As the others took this information in silently they looked at their late 90s home. “Well this is certainly interesting,” Marilyn commented. “Your telling me,” Lisa sighed. “And I still need to finish dinner.”
“Not so fast young lady,” Marilyn said. “If this is 20 years ago then this is MY dinner to plan.”
“Seriously mom,” Lisa whined. “This is my house you know. My husband and I invited you here for dinner.”
Marilyn looked Lisa over curiously before smirking mischievously. “Correction dear was your house,” she said. “Look around, the setup may be different but this is how our home used to look. Also look at your hand dear, you don’t have a wedding ring anymore. Your husband is just your boyfriend now.”
Lisa paused as she and Jason looked down at their youthful hands, shocked to see the wedding bands they owned were now missing. “But...But...how!?!?”
“Magic I guess,” Marilyn shrugged. “Now if you’ll excuse me I have a dinner to finish.”
Lisa frowned as she looked at her mother. “Fine Mom But I’m helping,” with that the red haired college girl stomped into the kitchen to now assist her mother in finishing the meal she had been prepping. As the family watched the two auburn haired women now cook they silently just stared at one another.
“So Jason, Ann,” Martin started. “Are things always this weird around here?”
“No daddy,” Ann whispered. “This is probably the weirdest thing I’ve seen.”
“Goes double for me sir,” Jason added.
Martin smiled as he looked at the two young adults. “Well it’s no use arguing with Marilyn,” he chuckled. “After 50 years together I’ve learned better. Might as well make the most of this.”
“Daddy how can you be so calm,” Ann asked, perplexed slightly. Martin smiled as he looked at his middle daughter once more. “Ann, if theirs one thing I’ve learned over the years it’s to just roll with the punches life throws at you. No point in getting my blood pressure up over something I have no control over.”
“Easy for you to say,” Ann grumbled. “I had a mountain of loan debt and no job at 22.”
“Better than being the 20 yeAr old college boyfriend spending his holiday at his girlfriends parents,” Jason added frowning.
Martin smiled before turning to Gloria and giving her a knowing wink. “I have a feeling that no matter what happens my granddaughter over here will make sure everything turns out okay. Right Gloria?”
Gloria could only nod and smile as she looked at her grandfather. Although she didn’t know him well, she was already taking a shine to him. The man seemed like a friendly, level headed man with a warm and caring heart.
“Well Jason,” Martin started. “Seeing as how we’re stuck like this for now. Why don’t we play the part. You be the anxious boyfriend trying to impress her father and I’ll be the overbearing dad that refuses to let his teenage daughter grow up.”
Jason gave a short laugh before shrugging. “Sure what the hell,” he sighed.
Gloria could only stare in shock as she observed her family, minus twenty years. The ring seemed to have outdone itself this time not only making her family twenty years younger but the world as well. Whatever wounds needed to be repaired today Gloria hoped she could help in any way possible.