Neither Amy nor Nichole were aware when a sudden surge of energy went through them, the Chronivac adding more years to them. The addition of 5 years didn't change them a lot physically. The biggest notable change was that Nichole was wearing more makeup than before. The main changes were to their memories and worldview. Now instead of having gone to high school with Kim, they went to high school with Simon. And as the age gap between them and Kim grew, their sympathy for her shrank.
"I still don't know what he sees in her," said Amy, her old torch for Simon not entirely gone.
"Because she got herself knocked up," said Nichole. Now that she was Simon's twin sister, she could understand his motive better. "Sometimes, I suspect she deliberately got him drunk enough that night so he would forget protection and he'd have to marry her afterwards," she said.
"The old honey trap," grumbled Amy. She almost wished she'd thought of that. She'd certainly make a better mother to Johnny than Kim was proving to be. She should have acted more on her crush on Simon. But she was more concerned about getting into medical school at the time. She should have found some sort of balance to allow her to pursue a relationship, but it was far too late now.
"And Simon still has better luck than me," said Nichole bitterly.
"Hey, you still look good," said Amy comfortingly.
"Then how comes I've never had a boyfriend who can stay steady for at least a year?" snapped Nichole.
"Well, if you want an honest answer..." started Amy.
"Might as well hear it," said Nichole.
"You tend to be a little...acerbic, maybe abrasive," said Amy.
"Exactly how am I like that?" asked Nichole.
"You can't go a whole conversation without mocking or belittling someone, even in a passive-aggressive way," said Amy.
"I'm not like all the time," said Nichole.
"It's more noticeable when you're talking with your brother. But I notice you tend to undercut your boyfriends and laugh it off," said Amy.
"I'm only trying to make a joke," said Nichole.
"At their expense. Most people don't like that," said Amy.
Nichole sighed and said, "Fine, maybe I need to watch my mouth more."
"And there are plenty of guys at the bar. Some of them have to be single right now," said Amy.
Nichole sighed and said, "I might as well. If all I get tonight is buzzed, it may as well be on someone else's tab. It's better than watching Kim get plastered." With that, she walked over to the bar.
Amy looked over at the increasingly-drunken Kim. She might have felt more pity as Kim didn't have much of a life out of being a housewife and mother. But then, Amy also had a strong suspicion that Kim wanted that shotgun wedding so she could leech off of Simon's hard work. It could be the bitter envy talking, but Amy thought Kim was showing a very poor example. "I would so make a better wife and mother than her," she grumbled.
The Chronivac has observed enough at this point. Now it could clearly see the paths these three women were about to take. It began the next stage of the process.
Subjects: Simon (30), Kim (30), Amy (25), John (7), Nichole (30), Stored years (2)