I stared in shock as the originally mismatched sneakers shifted color, parts of each changing to share its color with the other. And then I was wearing perfectly matched black and white sneakers - shoes sized for an eight-year-o0ld, not a grown man. I finally tore my gaze away from the transformed footwear to see my nephews grinning at me. Ollie or Andy - I still couldn't tell them apart - said "You're one of us now, Mikey!"
It seemed impossible, but there was more than just the new sneakers. I slid off the chair, now huge, and stumbled over to a large mirror that was on the back of the door. Ollie or Andy stared back at me in the reflection - except that it was neither of the boys - it was me, struggling to move in clothes that hung off me like bedsheets! My nephews came over to stand on either side of me, and one of them offered the clothing they had shown me earlier. "Better get dressed in these. That stuff won't fit you anymore."
There was no denying what my eyes reported. Except for the clothing, we were all three absolutely identical. And then my sister-in-law came into the room, closely followed by Kobe. The sister-in-law who was supposed to be out for the evening with my brother. I spun around, expecting her to be shocked, bewildered. Instead, she just rolled her eyes. "Take those off, Mikey! You look silly. And yes, I know which one you are, like always. Dinner soon, boys." Then she left.
I stared after her, not sure if I was more stunned by her acceptance or my transformation. My brothers came to stand next to me, each putting an arm around me and grinning into the mirror. Ollie said "Uncle Mike doesn't exist anymore. You're Mikey, our brother." That's when it occurred to me that I had just thought of them as my brothers, and I did know which one was Ollie and which one was Andy. And that's had Mom had seen me. Mom? Andy grinned and handed me the clothes. "Come on, Mikey. Might as well get dressed proper. And after dinner, we can play!"
I stared down at the shows and socks that had started all this. What happens if I take them off? Is it too late? Do I want to change back? Does my old life even exist anymore?