Alice had been in the store buying some household cleaners. She was a bit surprised when the boy ran out of the back rooms and then waved at her. Doing a double take, she realized that this was Keith Prentice, one of the various kids she'd babysat for over the years. In fact, he was the only well behaved kid she ever babysat for and it was mostly because of that she'd gotten along with him.
Returning the wave, Alice went back to her shopping. In the long run, she felt sorry for him. The kid was intelligent, but that gift was pretty much wasted because of the fact that nobody really appreciated it, least of all Mr. and Mrs. Prentice.
Picking up some cleaning supplies she needed for the house, she was just about to purchase them when she saw Keith walking to the front with a pair of underwear, some pants, a set of shoes and a jacket for a little boy. The only thing that was out of place was the t-shirt with Mew on the front. She knew for a fact that it was for a little girl, seeing as she had bought one some time ago for Stephanie.
Giving the boy a strange look Alice returned the wave he gave her and went to make her purchase. As she put her items into the minivan, something hit her and turning she started to walk back to the store.
Just outside, she saw Keith come out and then duck immediately back in. Entering, she watched as he disappeared into the clothes section and head for the changing rooms. Outside the clothing rooms, she waited. And when the door to a stall opened and a little girl exited in almost all boys clothes, except for the shirt. As the girl was closing the door, Alice could just make out Keith clothes sitting inside and placing her hand on the girls shoulder, hoping she wasn't about to kidnap someone's child, she said, "I think you'd better come with me."
The girl turned and gasped at which point Alice asked of her, "Keith, honey is that you?"
The girl could only nod and as the tears started well up, Keith said, "I didn't want this. I just wanted to escape from my horrible life and parents."
Walking in silence for a bit Alice wondered how to reply to this. She knew what to say if this was her child, but this was different. Thinking to treat this as being a situation were she was babysitting again, she was to say something when they ran into a large crowd of people and they were temporary separated. Pushing aside people, Alice desperately tried to find Keith.
Finding her eventually, she picked the five year old up, who could only quietly say, "I never really thought crowds could be so scary. Guess you have to see it through the eyes of a child."
Nodding, Alice took the girl out to the minivan and strapping her into the car seat meant for Stephanie, she got in the drivers side and started the car. Turning, she started to back out. As she was doing so, she asked casually, "It was the Amulet of Zulo that changed you, wasn't it?"
Keith gasped and then simply nodded. Thinking about it carefully she answered back, "But I only want to stay like this for twelve hours and than I'm turning myself into a boy." With that said, she reached into her shirt and felt for the amulet.
Gasping, she pulled up her shirt, exposing her abdomen and chest and cried out, "It's gone!"
Slamming on her brakes, Miss. Punnit was almost t-boned by a Cadillac. Ignoring the ranting of the other driver, she turned to Keith and asked, "What do you mean it's gone?"
But there was no point in answering. Telling the girl to put down her shirt, Alice pressed on the gas and continued backing up. An idea started to form in her head and looking at the scared girl reflected back by the rear view mirror explained, "I try calling Dr. Mezzner when I get home. She should be able to help."
To this Keith had no reply. Worried she might have to grow up like this, she spent most of the drive back to Miss. Punnit's place in silence. About three fourths of the way there Keith asked her how she knew of the amulet and what it could do. Alice explained the rest of the drive home about Declan, Daisy, Steven, Stephanie and how the rest of her family get having mishaps with it. Arriving home, Alice helped Keith from the car and collecting her household cleaners escorted the girl into the house.
None of her children were home at first glance. Following the noise, she found Denise in the living room watching a reality program.
Explaining the situation to her eldest daughter she left Keith in the care of Denise and went to call Doctor Mezzner. It turned out the doctor had been called out of town for the weekend and returning to the living Alice explained this to Keith.
"I'm sorry honey, but you'll be spending the weekend as a girl. You can stay here. My daughters won't mind and if you want you can play with Lisle down the street." Alice explained.
Turning to Denise she then asked, "Any suggestions what to call her for the weekend? We can't keep calling her Keith."
Denise looked thoughtful, but before she could speak up, Keith interjected and said, "How about the name Kathy? It's starts with the same letter and is somewhat close to my male name."
Looking at Denise, Alice wondered how the girl had made that connection. Instead she asked about the location of Karen and her other daughters. Denise muttered something about them visiting new neighbors and returned to her telly program.
Saying she was going to prepare dinner, she left the two girls together.
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Karen, Katie, Daisy and Stephanie returned just before dinner was served. Explaining they had new neighbors, one Rachael McTaber, five months pregnant, and a Donald Pfaster, they stopped when Denise and Kathy entered. Alice then sat down her daughters and once again explained the situation.
All Daisy could say was, "You'll get used to being a girl. Stephanie and I did."
"That's not very nice, young lady!" Alice said. "Now go and wash your hands for dinner." Watching as her three youngest exiting the kitchen, she then went back to setting the table.
After dinner, Karen and Denise offered to clean while their mom went to look for some of Katey's old clothes from when she had been five. Daisy, Stephanie and eventually Kathy disappeared outside to play with Lisle and didn't return until about nine.
When they finally returned Alice called out to them, "Bath-time!"
The moment Kathy heard this she was bothered by it, while Stephanie and Daisy liked the idea and wanted to bathe together. Alice said she would assist her, something that disturbed Kathy somewhat, but in the end agreed.
Afterward she was given one of Katie's nightgowns from when she was five and given a sleeping bag to sleep in. Not paying attention, she cuddled up to one of Daisy's dolls and fell asleep.
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Alice was bothered by something. After putting the girls to bed, she had tried to sit and read her book, but found herself unable to concentrate. It wasn't so much what she noticed about Kathy, mainly how she said she wanted to be a boy again, but biology had other ideas and how she was slowly adopting the ways of a girl. No what bothered was the fact that the Amulet of Zulo kept making it's way back to her one way or another.
And now going with this train of thought, she realized something; she'd seen the amulet when she was a child.
"But where?" Alice thought to herself.
Getting up from the couch, she set her book down and went to check on Daisy, Kathy and Stephanie. Opening the door, she saw that Daisy and Stephanie had pulled the covers off their beds and were sleeping on the floor, curled up next to Kathy, who was sucking her thumb.
Wondering if Kathy would still want to be a boy again after the weekend was up, Alice shut the door, check on the rest of her brood and went to bed.
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The weekend past in a blur. By Saturday evening Kathy had pretty much adjusted, though not completely to being female. And when Miss. Punnit announced bathe time, she was more then happy to undress with Daisy, Stephanie and Katie and take a bath together. Afterward she slipped on a clean pair of panties and a pink nightgown that used to be Katie's when she was five.
Sunday she almost forgot about her old life as she went to church with the Punnits, had Sunday dinner with them. Afterward she changed her clothes and went out to play with the other girls.
The subject of her old life only came up when Stephanie asked her, "You still want to be a boy named Keith again."
She giggled at this and almost said, "Who's Keith?" But stopped when something clicked in her brain and she remembered something of her old life. Wondering why she would think she had ever been a boy, but thinking that at one time her name was Keith, Kathy shrugged and instead went back to what she had been doing.
With Monday came the fact that Denise and the others would be heading for school and Miss. Punnit would be taking her to see a Doctor Mezzner. Though why she wanted to see this doctor was beyond her, she thought it might have to do with this Keith person and her abusive parents. Eating breakfast, Kathy noticed for the first time that Miss. Punnit seemed bothered and distant. Asking what the matter was, she only got a smile and was told politely to eat her breakfast.
Afterward she got dressed and was helped into the minivan were she got to sit once again in the car seat belonging either to Daisy or Stephanie.
Half an hour later, Alice stopped outside a large building and unbuckling her seat, led the girl inside. Asking to see a Hanna Mezzner, she and Kathy than took a seat waited.
Their wait was a short one and the doctor lead them into a combination examination room and office. Taking a seat behind the desk, she bid the both to take a seat and then asked, "So what brings you here to see me once again. And who is you silent friend? Another family member transformed? Perhaps a friend of the family? Oh, and I have an offer for you, since you are in here so often."
Alice smiled and held up her hand. Looking at the doctor in the eye she said, "One thing at a time. But first I want to tell you something I remembered. It is from my childhood, but on that subject, I also want to ask if that's all right?"
Doctor Mezzner nodded and made a motion with her hand to tell Alice she could start.
Taking a deep breath Alice started to her memories from her childhood and why she felt the Amulet of Zulo might always going to find it's way back to her or her family.