As Lynne opened the door to her room she could see her twin/mother rummaging through her closet. “Man how come your clothes are so cool,” she groaned. Lynne just stood dumbstrucknfor a moment. She wasn’t quite sure how to handle this situation. One the one hand Lisa was still her mother, albeit a very young and immature version of her. On the other hand reality had altered to such a degree that she was also her twin sister, a sister who felt slighted by the fact that it appeared everyone liked Lynne more than Lisa.
“Just lucky I guess,” Lynne sighed. “Why don’t you help yourself to whatever you want in the closet.” Lisa smirked thanking her twin as she now grabbed a handful of clothes, tossing them onto the nearby bed. “So, um Lisa,” Lynne started. “Was kinda hoping we could talk.”
“Go ahead,” Lisa stated. “Not like it will matter though, I mean it’s not like you listen to me anyway.”
“That’s not true,” Lynne exclaimed. Lisa frowned as she looked up at the girl, a sour look on her face. “Yeah right,”she grumbled. “Everything always revolves around you sis. Mom, Katie, they always treat you like your the most precious thing in the world. They even forgot about my game after you jumped to the past. My first game starting varsity and they missed it. Do you have any idea how much that hurt?”
“No,” Lynne whispered. “I guess all I can do is say sorry.”
“That’s about all you ever do,” Lisa mumbled. “Say sorry and move on, not like you ever think about anyone else.”
Lynne sat quietly as she watched the teen rifle through the outfits on the bed. As she reflected on her actions she began to mull over her decisions, not the ones this Lisa remembered but what Lisa the mother experienced. Lynne recalled what her mother had said before she fully transformed into a teenager. The girl felt as if Lynne hated her, something that was completely false. Lynne loved her mother but as she had gotten older she wanted to branch out on her own, become her own woman, feel like an adult. While that was natural the woman she had grown to know in the past had no knowledge of Lynne in the future. As a result all of Lynne’s anger, pranks, and everything else that occurred in the past came across as a girl that hated her mother. “I think I understand why this is happening now,”she thought. “Mom was hurt by what I did in the past. She had no idea what our relationship was like in the future. She just felt like she had let one of her kids down.”
Sighing Lynne looked at the teen girl, it was time to try and make amends. “Hey um Lisa,” she whispered. “Look, I know I haven’t been the greatest person in the world but I want to make it up to you. Why don’t you take a seat over here Okay?”
Lisa raised an eyebrow before nodding. As the sullen teen now sat down in front of Lynne the teen pleasingly looked at her. “I want to make it up to you,” she said. “I’m hoping this can be a start. Hopefully we can talk while I do it too.”
Lisa watched as the girl reached for a brush and comb, slowly making her way behind the girl. “What are you doing,” Lisa asked. “Well,” Lynne smiled. “It’s no secret you love having your hair braided so I’m going to do that for you.”
Lisa paused as she felt Lynne begin to brush her hair out. Yes she loved having her hair done but she wondered when Lynne learned to do that. “When did you become a hair stylist,” she asked. “Well,” Lynne stated. “Mom kinda showed me a couple of times. Never really tried before but I heard you love this, so I want to do something nice for you.”
Although Lisa was surprised by Lynne’s actions she had to admit she was enjoying this. Smiling contentedly she leaned back as the girl began to braid and brush her long auburn locks. “Well you heard right,” she smirked. “So thanks.”
As Lynne brushed her teenage mothers hair she found herself opening up to the girl about not only herself but her relationship with Lisa. Lynne now talked about how much she admired the girl. She had always found Lisa to be one of the strongest, most independent people she knew. Despite having no magic of her own Lynne saw the girl as a hero to her. Someone she strives to be like one day.
“Wow never knew you cared,” Lisa said, somewhat surprised by Lynne’s statements. Lynne could only shrug as she continued to braid the girls hair. “What can I say mom,” she said. “I always admired you.”
The two teens paused after Lynne had referred to her as mom. At first Lynne was nervous that by calling Lisa mom it would freak the girl out, especially if she had no memory of her adulthood. Slowly Lynne watched as Lisa turned to face her, a soft smile on her face. “Thanks kiddo,” she said softly.
“Mom is that you?”
“Yeah Lynne it’s me,” Lisa said. “Listening to you talk kind of snapped me back to my senses. I remember everything now. I think you helped break the spell I was under.”
Lynne threw herself onto her mother, squeezing her tightly. “Oh thank god,” she cried. “Mom I was so worried.”
Lisa patted her daughters shoulder as the girl squeezed her for all she was worth. As Lynne pulled away she gave the girl a curious look. “Wait if you remember everything how come you still look 14?”
Lisa shrugged, giving her daughter a sly smile. “Looking young never bothered me much,” she said. “Kind of always been one of those young at heart Kind of people. Besides, it’s been forever since I had a chance to be young and have some fun.”
“Seriously mom,” Lynne laughed. “You almost turn into a real teenager and your cool with still looking like one,”
“Looking like a kid is one thing,” Lisa stated. “Actually becoming one is a total different subject, which reminds me, What is it with my daughters and putting me in braided pigtails? Do you guys really think it’s a good look on me or something?”
Lynne laughed hard as she looked at the smiling face of her teenage mother, the Lisa she was so accustomed to had returned mentally. “What their cute mom,” she laughed.
“If you say so,” Lisa chuckled. “Personally if I’m going to be in pigtails I might as well go back a little further in age. Care to join me?”
Lynne paled slightly as she looked at her mom. Lisa had no idea how fearful she was of useing age magic. While her mother was often a willing test subject willing to take any age Lynne was the exact opposite, she never wanted to grow young. “I don’t know mom,” she mumbled. “Maybe we’ve had enough age related fun for one day.”
“Look Lynne,” Lisa smiled. “Right now it looks like the spell that was affecting me is broken. I’m me again. I’m also still here so before I go back let’s say we have some fun. I want to get to know you even better and I want to have some fun with you. Now what do you say? You want to try being a kid again or do you want to keep hanging out like this?”
Lynne bit her lip anxiously, her mother was back yes but now Lynne may have to face her fear. The question is, was she willing to do it?