"What do you mean 'We can't just rush this' Steve?!?" Janet yelled as she stood up from the counter.
The family had been spending the last few minutes finally deciding what to do. Janet wanted to try and recreate the original scenario, while Alan and Megan just wanted to quickly read it and be done with it. Steve, however, thought they needed to be more careful than they were being.
"Look around us Janet." Steve said. "Or should I say, 'Jake'. The entire world thinks that we're the opposite gender!"
"Yes, I know that Steve, that's why I'm trying to, you know, reverse this?" Janet snapped back.
"Believe me, I'd love to just randomly open this book, instantly change back, and be done with this forever, but we have no idea what page did what. For all we know, just opening the book could change reality even further. What if it makes us forget who we really are? Or what if it makes even crazier changes like putting us in the lives of dogs. Or worse yet, what if it physically changes us too?" He reasoned.
Janet, finally listening, sat back down and decided to hear her husband out.
"Look Im not saying we wait a month or something crazy like that." He continued. "All I'm saying is that we can see what we can do to try and fix this as safely as possible. Do some research, find some people who know about magic, anything to ensure that we all change back to normal."
"Okay, okay. That sounds fair." Janet agreed.
"What?!" Alan and Megan yelled. "How long do we gotta do this?" Alan asked.
"Let's just give it a week." Steve answered. "Whoever stays home will do as much research and examination of the book as possible, while the rest of us try to pretend to be these versions of us."
"But tomorrow is Monday!" Megan yelled. "I can't go to school as a boy! I wouldn't be able to talk to my friends, or go to the right bathroom, or..."
"I know Megan I'm sorry." Steve answered. "But this book can alter reality itself. We just can't risk rushing things. Who knows, maybe we'll find something tonight or tomorrow? But for the time being, we have to be patient okay? Now, does everyone understand?"
Everyone nodded as Steve lifted the book off of the counter and onto the floor in the den. He sat down and opened up his laptop. The kids solemnly walked up to their altered rooms. Janet walked in behind Steve and sat next to the focused man in a dress.
"Is a week really necessary Steve?" Janet asked.
"I'm sorry Janet, trust me I don't want to be in a dress as much as you don't want a beard, but it's just for safety." He explained.
"Alright, alright... baby girl." Janet teased.
Steve looked over and tried to look annoyed, but it was a bit difficult to act manly when locks of hair fly in your face. Janet began searching on her own laptop as the two searched the web for anything on either the strange symbols on the cover or anything about a 'magic book' that wasn't a birthday magician's act. Steve, however, was suddenly interrupted by a reminder on his computer.
"Oh God." He said. "I was hoping I had the stay at home role." He sighed as he read the memo reminding "Stephanie" that she had some proposals "she" needed to finish for work. Janet laughed at realizing that she was still the stay at home parent, and Steve would have to go out in public and try to pretend to be a woman.
"Look's like I'll be the one investigating this whole thing 'Stephanie.' I think you need to practice putting on a business skirt." She half joked as Steve solely closed his laptop and marched upstairs to their room.