Stephanie didn't want to panic, but she was very concerned now to see her mother at the age she was now. She tried thinking of what she could do to help her mother out in this situation.
"Okay, the important thing to remember is that you still think like an adult, so that's a good thing. Chenoa, can you use your magic to help my mom?" Stephanie asked. "I'm sorry Stephanie, I'm still a little hesitant after the school incident, and besides, I've only learned so much from Goldie right now." Chenoa apologized to her best friend.
"Maybe....uh, maybe I should call mom? She might be able to help you out." Stephanie suggested.
"No! I jus' talk to her earwier, I don want her to worry anymore than she was." Ann's young mother said.
"Okay, well I don't want everyone to worry about this either, so let's just go through your day and you explain to me how this happened as best as you can." Stephanie suggested as young Ann gathered her thoughts as best as she could.
"'Kay, I talked to your mommy, then I went to go work. But I got hungry, So I went to da fridge and found some nice apples ta eat." Ann explained as Stephanie's eyes went wide.
"Apples?! Oh no, mom those apples were from Travis's family, they must have some different magic on you than they did me. I ate a little of one and it re-energized me. That's why my hair's a little longer, it must have made you younger. Mom, how many apples did you eat?" Stephanie asked.
Ann remembered and held up three fingers and showed them to the girls.
"Three? Okay, well, I'll call Travis and tell him not to give me anymore apples, or else I'm gonna have to raise my mom from being a baby." Stephanie sighed as she called Travis on her phone.
"Hey, something wrong?" Travis asked.
"Yeah, I'm standing in my house with my mom who's a three year old because she ate your sisters apples." Stephanie said sounding a little annoyed.
"Oh man, I'm so sorry about that. Idunn is still over here, she can help restore your mom." Travis informed her.
"Alright, but next time, please tell me these things first. Love you." Stephanie said as Travis replied 'I love you too' as a goodbye.
"Okay, Chenoa, you sit in the back with my mom. I'll drive us over there." Stephanie said as they got into Stephanie's car.
Stephanie, Chenoa, and young Ann all drove over to Travis's family mortuary. Stephanie entered carrying her mom on her shoulder's, something she wish her own mother had done years before. The three of them came inside and saw Travis looking at Ann surprised to see just how young she was, while Idunn was shaking her head.
"Oh, I should have warned you about others eating the apples." Idunn said shaking her head. "Yeah, you should have told me that my mom would end up a toddler." Stephanie said to Idunn a little upset.
"My apples work differently for others. For the young, it can give them energy or reinvigorate them like you, I gave you an apple as a way to reinvigorate your feelings for my brother. For the older, it can give them youth, a little youth is a good thing, but too much youth and well...this can happen." Idunn explained.
"So can you give her something to make her, her normal age again?" Stephanie asked.
"Well, yes, but she won't exactly like it." Idunn said as she handed young Ann an apple that didn't look quite fresh.
"No way, I am not eaten ano'ter apple." Ann said crossing her arms.
"Trust me little one, this apple will restore you to your adult self." Idunn explained.
"Please mom, eat it, I don't want to have to start changing your diapers too." Stephanie begged.
Ann couldn't say no to her daughter and ate the apple. She didn't like it as much as the ones she ate earlier, but as she ate, she began to enjoy the taste a little more.
"These are good, but I liked the other ones more. What's in these?" Ann asked. "Oh, you know the usual. Carbs, water, fructose, sucrose, glucose, fluoride. All that stuff." Idunn said.
"Wait, did you just say...fluoride?!" Stephanie asked as Ann dropped the apple and felt like she was going to throw up. Travis quickly took her to the restroom.
"What the hell?! Are you trying to poison my mom?!" Stephanie asked angrily.
"Gods no. You know how when you're brushing your teeth and if you swallow your toothpaste, it can upset your stomach? It's sort of the same stuff they use at a dentist office, but mine's more effective in that what your mother will vomit out, will be the apple pieces she ate." Idunn explained.
"Good god, how exactly are your apples useful anyway?" Stephanie asked as Idunn tapped her foot not appreciating the comment but let it slide considering the situation.
"Like I told you, they can either be reinvigorating or give youth. I'm sorry about this, but just let this be a lesson in being careful of what you eat." Idunn said with a little smile.
Travis came back carrying Ann over his shoulder. She was back to being her 46 year old self, looking unkempt, but otherwise better.
"Mom! I'm so happy you're back to normal." Stephanie said hugging her mother.
"So, am I. But young lady, we have to set up some new rules at the house." Ann said fixing her hair. "New rules?"
"Yes, you are not to bring home anything from Travis's house that is in anyway magical." Ann explained. "Good rule, what else?"
"Ask only for regular foods from now on if offered." Ann went on. "And last, you are to: LEAVE. A. NOTE. Next time if you leave anything in the fridge like that again." Ann said crossing her arms.
"Good points, mom, can we go home now?" Stephanie asked as Ann nodded and headed to the car.
"You threw those apples out right?" Stephanie asked Chenoa. "Of course, don't worry, no one else would eat a tossed apple." Chenoa said.
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While the girls and Ann were gone, Missy and her mother, Melissa, had come by the street. Missy had wanted to get Chenoa into trouble for calling her out a week ago at school and went to her mother. Melissa Fuller at 50 was a paralegal and unlike many people who tried to teach morals to their kids, Melissa always taught Missy to have people under your feet, as they were easier to control.
"Is this the girl's house, Missy?" Melissa asked her daughter. "Yes, mother, this girl is friends with those girls who called me vile names at school." Missy said. Melissa was about to go up to the front door when she noticed a freshly looking apple sitting on top of a trash can outside. Melissa wasn't about to let a good apple go to waste and took it from the top of the garbage pile and ate it. The apple tasted energizing and as they walked up to the door, Missy thought she saw her mother's red hair grow out a little and she almost thought she looked younger.
"Mother, are you younger somehow?" Missy asked Melissa who took out a mirror and looked at her reflection. Melissa was astounded to see she did look a little younger, she looked around 48 now than she did 50. She looked at the apple then back at the house and a smirk came across her face.
"Missy, we're done here. I have a different way of getting back at those girls of yours." Melissa said to her daughter.
"What is it mom?" Missy asked her mother. "Blackmail." Melissa said to her daughter with a sinister smile.