I woke from troubled dreams to see Larry, standing next to a teenage boy—my mom. No, not my mom anymore. My son. My son, David, a teenage boy. Not me. Not me ever again.
I tried to stir. My body felt bizarre. Was this is? I was a middle-aged woman now?
"Cathy, we've had some complications on your end of the surgery. David, your son, is absolutely fine." The new David grinned. "Your body, Cathy, on the other hand, did not take to the operation. We had to find an emergency substitute. I'm afraid you won't be able to live in the middle-aged woman body after all. And unfortunately, as we established, the operation is irreversible and we cannot ever again transfer you to another body. I'm afraid you'll be living for the rest of your life in this one."
I was still groggy from the anesthetic. Wait, I'm not stuck in Mom's body? So, wait, what am I? I struggled to speak or to crane my head to look down at myself. It took some effort.