Jeff felt as though the gym was his second home, he actually got lost in thought pondering what the ante was that he'd get so much from a single wager. It must have been from Ty, and the wager would have had to have been "My physique and everything that went into making it so wonderful," Jeff reasoned but that doesn't sound like him. Maybe, "Everything that made my body so hot," Jeff never before felt inclined to work out, now seems to have a routine, and there seems to be a college course or two worth of knowledge on nutrition, form, routines, supplements and determining their quality, and even competition schedules in his brain...
Blinking Jeff realized he'd already made and downed his pre workout, changed clothes, and was starting to stretch. He then began to feel the pre workout kicking in and moved into the first phase of his workout.
One of the machines he used brought him next to a pair of guys in their mid thirties who were working out and chatting, in between sets. Jeff listened in and the men turned the topic to rearing their kids and associated frustrations, apparently both men are fathers of older kids or tweens, he couldn't quite tell. Instinctively, Jeff politely cut in and shared the knowledge he had. They eyed Jeff and reasoned he had to be at most 23 meaning he shouldn't have a child any older than 5.
"I'm sorry, but is your child almost a teenager?" The nearest man asked with condescending tone.
"No." Jeff replied. His son was in his 40s.
"Then kindly fuck off man." the man said shortly.
'What a dick,' Jeff thought to himself. He couldn't hold back... "But when he was, he wanted to stay up all night too, and I found it helpful..."
"Bullshit," the guy said with irritated condescension.
"I bet my kid is significantly older than any of yours. If I win, I get your driving experience, your privilege to drive, and your vehicle since you wouldn't be needing it."
The man was so sure he was right, and even if Jeff's kid was older, a year or two wouldn't be significant, he reasoned. "How old are you?" he asked, naturally opposed to making deals but this felt like more of an investment in his pride.
"I'm 16." Jeff answered.
"There's no fucking way. Are you married?"
"Nope. So do you accept my bet?"
"No. What do I get when I win?" the man was truly opposed to gambling but Jeff had set himself up to be able to make these kinds of agreements.
"So far I haven't anted anything up. You'd get the sweet sweet satisfaction of publicly calling my bluff accurately. Did you want to add something to that?" Jeff continued working out between statements.
"You're lying, you're lying about your kids age, you're lying about your age. You're just a liar!"
"So... you accept?"
"If you're lying about any of this you gotta, you gotta, publicly admit you are a liar, leave the gym and never return, and since I know you're an adult, you gotta blow me."
Jeff was shocked at the man's proposition, but he had gotten much faster and better at bluffing taking his dad's game night skills. "You just changed the bet!" Jeff accused. "I was just saying my kid is older, now you are holding me to that, and my age being 16... so I get to add to my stipulations... If I'm telling the truth, you can't run your mouth without proof. And for clarifications I mean significant in that there is at least a three year age difference and my kid is older. And by 16, I mean at least 16 and less than 17 years, You aren't going to catch me on months of age..." Jeff couldn't help but smirk, his trap was laid...
The man's friend was left in the dust and about to interject. "There ain't no fucking way! 5 years is significant!" He countered.
Spring went Jeff's trap. "Deal! Stay here."
Jeff went to the locker room grabbing his wallet and cell phone returning to the pair. While he was returning he called his daughter in law knowing his son wouldn't hear the phone while mowing. By the time he arrived back at the two men they were shocked to see him returning, assuming his bluff was called and he ran away.
"Yeah, could you put Mike on the phone? I assume he's currently mowing the lawn like I asked."
"Yeah one sec."
"Thanks sweetie." Jeff's response fell out of his mouth before he could stop himself.
The men exchanged glances. "My daughter... in-law." Jeff explained.
"Mike, Hey Mike. Your Dad is calling!" then a moment later Mike answered. "Hey Dad, everything okay? I just dropped you off."
"Yeah, I'm fine. I have a silly question for you. There's a couple guys listening and could you just state your age and my age for them."
"Yeah I'm 43, and you just turned 16, we need to grab you your license." He addressed the other guys in the room. "It sucks when your dad needs you to drive him around, amirite?"
"Yes, yes, Mike, Thank you." Jeff rolled his eyes as he hit end call. "So, because we are still finishing our transaction, I'll let you guys in on a secret. You will forget everything as soon as reality changes though..." Jeff explained everything about his experiment with the Chronivac and what happened over the last week and a day. His rules, the attempt to spend more time with his dad, the hosting role he found himself in last night and ongoing, and waking up this way.
"That's crazy! Wait, then that's not fair! You roped me into an agreement..."
"...Because I wanted you to listen to my parenting advice but you were such a condescending prick that I decided to teach you a lesson instead. Yeah. It also means that you solicited sexual acts from a minor who told you their age... pedophile." Jeff let the man suffer and squirm in the realization that his attempt to humiliate Jeff had backfired completely. Eventually however, Jeff just wanted to get back to his workout and flashed his learners permit, proving his age, and justifying his paradoxical status as a father. Technically, Jeff had won the bet as soon as it was made but the universe seems to respect Jeff's intent as he is its creator and eventually will be its destroyer.
The men's eyes glazed over and the conversation was wiped from their memories. reality shifted and keys appeared in Jeff's duffle bag in the locker room as his learner's permit became a driver's license. The men's conversation picked up where it went off track...
After Jeff finished his workout, he changed and went outside to find he was now the proud owner of a