Jackie and Gloria were definitely surprised with the amount of people in attendance. Not only were all their friends their Lisa had invited Katie, Kellie and some of her friends as well. Jackie and Gloria watched as Lisa and Jason spoke with Kumiko, Cole, and Maddie Haskins while Lynne chatted with Mandy, Tricia and Tommy.
“Geez how many people did your mom invite,” Jackie asked as she gazed around the room. Gloria shrugged as she tried to count everyone. “Probably 20 at least,” she sighed. Turning towards Jackie she could see the girl looking at the mass of people gathered in Gloria’s home. “Definitely not what I wanted,” she grumbled.
“Jackie, Jackie over here.”
Jackie tuned to see her mother happily approach, shockingly Jackie could see she was dragging Ann with her. “Mom What are you dong,” she asked. Jackie’s mother Hannah smiled as she placed a hand on Ann’s shoulder. “Oh sweetly your party is going wonderfully,” she grinned. “I was just talking with Ms. O’Toole here. Did you know she was a business woman?”
Jackienfurrowed her brow as Ann gave a sheepish smile. “Yeah we’ve met before mom,” she groaned. “She’s Ms. Turners older sister.”
“Well you should talk with her honey,” Hannah said. “You might learn quite a bit on how to be a successful, independent woman.” As Hannah went to greet other party guests Jackie glared angrily at her age crossed girlfriend.
“I didn’t know she was your mother,” Ann replied guiltily. “I just walked in and she came up to greet me. Next thing I know she’s dragging me over here to meet you. She...um...thinks I might be able to give you some...life advise or something.”
Jackie glared up at Ann, she had never introduced Ann to her parents (let alone reveal her bisexuality). “Yeah think you’ve done that already,” Jackie grumbled. Sighing she looked at her girlfriend, she was conflicted, part of her wanted to kiss the woman passionately yet the more reasonable side told her that it would be too awkward at their current ages. “I am glad to see you though.”
Ann sighed sadly giving her young girlfriend a sad smile. “Me too,” she smiled. Reaching under her coat Ann produced a small gift for the girl before giving her a small grin. “Happy birthday Jackie,” she said. Jackie quickly took the gift gazing lovingly down at it. Before she could say anything Ann had left to rejoin the other adults.
“You going to be okay,” Gloria asked noticing the pained look on Jackie’s face. “Yeah,” she whispered. “It’s....just hard. Ann and me are well, complicated.”
“That’s putting it lightly,” Gloria smirked. Jackie furrowed her brow before smiling. “Cmon Jackie this is our day,”she said. “Let’s just enjoy our birthday together okay?” Jackie nodded as they made their way towards the kitchen table.
As the girls sat down they noticedeveryone continually mailing around the house. As Gloria looked over she could see Lisa, Jason, and Maddie Haskins talking. “My little girl is growing up,” Jason sighed. “15, wow I’m feeling really old.”
“Imagine how I feel,” Lisa smirked. “I’m turning after this one is born, Ugh not looking forward to that.”
“Oh 40 isn’t that bad,” Maddie replied. “It’s more the idea than anything else. Trust me once the birthday passes it seems like any other number.” As they continued to talk Jackie and Gloria noticed Katie and Kellie bringing a large cake in for the girls. Inscribed on the cake were the words Happy Birthday Gloria and Jackie. As an added bonus the two girls noticed 15 candles laid out on both sides of the cake. Smiling at one another they blushed as the group broke into Happy birthday.
“Make a wish you two,” Felicia cheered.
Gloria and Jackie smiled and shrugged as the blew out both sets of candles on the cake. As they did they noticed the lights flicker in the house. Blinking in confusion the two girls now anxiously looked around at everyone, something seems off.
“Happy 13th birthday girls,” Lisa said warmly. Jackie and Gloria blinked as they stared aghast at everyone. “13,l Gloria thought. “That’s not right.” Looking over everyone she noticed they seemed different. Gloria’s friends all seemed younger. The former high school freshmen now looked like Junior High students. Their friend now appeared shorter and more childish than before. The blessings of puberty from the last couple of years had been reduced. Now they looked like a group of preteens with barely flared hips and small breasts.
“Wow you guys are teenagers now,” Sasha exclaimed in a now childish voice. “How does it feel?”
Gloria could only gaze in shock as she found herself staring at the skinny dark haired girl in front of her. Sasha now appeared to be two or three inches shorter with an almost boyish frame. “Umm pretty much the same,” Gloria stammered, slightly alarmed at her more youthful sounding voice. Looking around she was stunned to see the adults all looked younger too.
Lisa and Jason appeared at least 10 years younger now. The grey hair that had dotted her fathers hair had vanished while Lisa’s face seemed to glow with renewed youth. The fitness model now looked like a woman in the prime of her adult life while her father appeared barely 30. Glancing over she noticed Maddie Haskins talking with the two rejuvenated adults. Like them she too was noticeably younger.
“Wow I can’t believe Gloria’s 13 now,” a 29 year old Lisa exclaimed. “I can still remember my 13th birthday now I’m staring down 30 and about to have a kid.”
“30 isn’t that bad,” Maddie smiled. “I mean yeah it scared me too. Now I’m 32 and I’ve never felt better. Trust me, once you get over the shock you realize it’s just a number.”
“Jackie,” Gloria hissed. “What’s going on?”
Jackie was still in shock as she gazed at the rejuvenated party guests. Everyone around them seemed younger now, what was even more off putting was that it appeared Jackie and Gloria were the only ones that were aware of what happened. “Your Guess is as good as mine,” she mumbled. “Magic is your area of expertise but we definitely have a problem here. I think we’re the only ones that noticed.”
Gloria cursed under her breath as she looked at the happy party goers. “This is bad,” she whispered. “Somehow everyone just got younger and I don’t know why?”
“Do you think it was Lynne?” Jackie asked. Gloria looked out amongst the crowd only to notice her sister happily talking with her newly youthened friends. The now 13 year old girl was shocked to see that Lynne had grown younger as well. Lynne was now a very cute girl of 12. A pang of jealousy shot through Gloria as she could see that Lynne was an early bloomer. While she was noticeably smaller and shorter than her 14 year old self Gloria could see that the girl would probably still turn heads even as a preteen.
“No it’s not her,” Gloria said. “She’s younger too, if this was a prank by her she wouldn’t be affected.”
“Then Who is it then?”
Gloria looked out over the party trying to determine who could possibly do this. Everyone was younger than before so there was no obvious culprits. The only surprise Gloria could see was that Lisa was still pregnant even though she was now 29 instead of 39.
“Not quite sure,” Gloria mused. “I have a theory but I think we should find Katie and then talk with Lynne. If this is what I think this is we’re going to need their help and fast.”
“Do I even want to know why we have to do this fast,” Jackie asked anxiously. Gloria turned towards her friend with a solemn look on her face. “Because I don’t think we’re done getting younger.”