The love gods split up to cover more ground. Anton could sense Derrick, or more specifically Des' handy work. In a world filled with Logan's lust where true love is able to blossom between any two creatures, the sour stench of unrequited love is painfully obvious to Anton. Therefore its no surprise that Anton found himself drawn to a quiet hallway, away from the other guests, where he happened to find a heartbroken Derrick pining over his daughter.
"Ugh..." Anton sighed heavily with a mixture of disappointment and disgust. Des' plan makes a mockery of his craft but it will serve as damage control while the real husband is located.
"Hey there Derrick. I... uh... wanted to apologize for leading you on regarding my daughter. I know you didn't know of our relation. She's always going to be my innocent little girl and the situation just... well, it set me off." Anton offered.
"Why do I feel this terrible? I was hoping for a chance with her but I'm completely overwhelmed with feelings and just want to die!" Derrick mustered between sobs.
"Des was rooting for you, and, it could be said he put himself into your relationship, which is why Bliss couldn't be with you and why you are feeling this way. He has trouble holding back around mortals and probably didn't realize he was ruining your chances. But I came here to make it up to you, Bliss said something after you left that kind of hit home, and to put it simply, I'd like to give you a taste of true love. It will be temporary, but you won't feel like this afterwards and it will get you over my daughter." Anton had just convinced himself that he liked the idea after all.
"Sure, whatever, I guess I can let you try." Derrick muttered unconvinced that he could ever be happy again. "Where is she?"
"Follow me" Anton led Derrick back to the bar and sat him down at a table. Derrick was still too wrapped up in himself to notice the other patron was actually his mother and only barely took notice of Anton having a conversation with the bartender.
Several minutes passed and Anton returned with a couple drinks giving one to Derrick. "I'm not old enough to... whatever." Derrick grabbed the drink and took a couple big chugs.
Anton sat down and struck up a conversation using it to gauge how the potion was working on his attitude to figure out the right time for introductions. Only a couple minutes in and the medium shirt Derrick was wearing was rapidly becoming too small as his muscles bulged to heroic proportions. Anton finished his drink and went up to Ganymede, "I didn't ask you to turn him into a Hercules lookalike. What are you doing?"
"Look, it was hard enough to make him completely straight, but when I transform men, they end up with one of two bodies and the other body I could have given him is simply not a candidate for true love with a woman."
Anton rolled his eyes, "Fine. get me another drink. And did you give her the potion to switch who she thinks her husband is?"
"Yeah, but she's nursing it so you have time to get him new clothes if you want..." Ganymede glanced over at Derrick who already took off his stretched out shirt and was adjusting the belt on his shorts now looking to be a man of 18. "Mmm, but don't mistake that for a recommendation."
Anton returned with Ambrosia for himself and a couple meads for Derrick. With his new proportions, Anton was no longer worried about getting him inebriated. "Sorry. I don't know how I got so far into the day with such a small shirt." Derrick offered embarrassed at being undressed.
"Nonsense. You came to the resort to relax and let it all hang out, Right?" Anton offered.
Derrick smiled, but after a second his face turned to confusion, then concern. "I don't recall booking this place."
"As you can see we are very popular, you would have had to have done so over a year ago perhaps you forgot." Anton offered smiling that the potion was taking hold of his mental state.
Derrick excused himself to the bathroom taking the final swig of the potion and grabbing his much too small shirt before he left. Anton knew this was a common side effect of Ganymede's brews. Derrick entered finding a discarded pile of clothes on the floor but dismissed it tossing his shirt on the small counter next to the sink. He desperately needed to pee. After peeing he found he was unable to close his shorts by several inches. Turning to the mirror he looked the same he always did, lean and heavily muscled, a seductive pelt of chest hair covering his form and a 5 o'clock shadow attesting to his virility. Now in his late 20's Derrick was nearing his prime.
He wasn't bloated, its as though his hips just widened and package suddenly grew but that didn't make any sense. Taking off the shorts he examined them, waist size 26? But he wears a size 32? Evening was approaching, how did he get through the day with these? Even his underwear was stretched to bursting.
A fog washed over him and he realized he recognized the discarded clothes as some he packed for this trip. A light and casual short sleeved button down shirt and some cargo shorts with a drawstring. He quickly switched into the clothes and discarded his former attire immediately forgetting he had just been wearing it. He had to tighten down the drawstring drastically not being near John's 40 inch waist size. On the sink lay a discarded shirt and a man's wedding ring which he slipped into his pocket intending to give it to the barkeep for safe keeping. Surely the patron who forgot it will return.
Derrick exited the restroom to see the barkeep talking to an attractive older woman and he stopped dead in his tracks as the room melted away for a few seconds. Derrick immediately forgot everything and retreated to his table with Anton. "Did you see the woman at the bar? God she's mesmerizing. I wonder if she's here with someone."
Anton chuckled, "Slow down killer, let's see if anyone shows up in the next half hour or so." He was just stalling to allow the potions to finish their jobs and drop the two into an established relationship. "You were telling me about your planning to come here..." Anton prodded.
"Oh yeah. So I saw this add through an email I got at work, I was going to delete it but something about it looked like a great idea..." As Anton prodded time passed, after 10 minutes Derrick was in his mid thirties and the first bits of gray were beginning to show through his temples. Derrick carried the conversation like he and Anton were old high school friends and Anton noticed that when Derrick smiled, crows feet were beginning to appear more prominently. His body was ever so slightly less trim and it somehow made him look even more handsome.
Ganymede was at the bar engaging Shannon in conversation but he was the one telling most of the stories to keep her from focusing on, or noticing, her shifting memories. She finally finished her potion and Ganymede took the glass and replaced it with a non magical beverage. He tapped the empty glass on the bar two times, signaling to Anton that the potion was fully consumed, and smoothly put the glass away.
Shannon got up needing to use the restroom and both gods realized the time was nearly upon them. "Let's move this to the bar." Anton suggested gesturing to the fact that Derrick had put down his third beverage. "Sure, this stuff is really good but it runs right through me. I need to hit the men's room again. Gimme a minute."
Derrick went to the restroom letting out another torrent of piss as through he hadn't relieved himself all of 15 minutes ago. The gray rapidly spread as another decade was added in seconds completing his transformation into a 47 year old man. The mental changes also finalized and he chuckled at his wife wanting to converse with the barkeep, she is such an extrovert and loved getting to know people, especially in new places.
Shannon's mind cleared as she let out more pee in one sitting than she had in years. Her husband had just run into an old friend from High School and their chatting had given her a chance to listen to some interesting stories from the bartender. All in all it has been a pleasant first day of vacation and she was looking forward to the privacy the master room offered.
Derrick washed his hands and after drying them slipped his hand into his pocket, feeling his wedding ring had slipped off, he slipped it back on and was annoyed it was loose. He hadn't lost weight recently, in fact over the last decade he had been slowly gaining some extra weight as his exercise plan got pushed farther and farther to the back burner. His abs only show when he flexes now but he is still proud of that, he is nearly 50 after all and many men half his age can't get their abs to show at all.
Derrick went out to Anton and a moment later Shannon came up behind and rubbed Derrick's back. Anton smiled, "Hey it was great catching up with you but I have other activities to take care of. I'll be sure to catch up with you in the next few days."
Derrick shook his friends hand and then he and his wife continued exploring the resort.