Sammy woke up in her room. She hugged the covers to herself, savoring their warmth. She hated waking up early, but today was Saturday, she could sleep in all she wanted to! One sunbeam, however, always got into her eyes, and finally, she got out of bed.
She slipped her feet into a pair of Hello Kitty slippers and walked out of the room, stretching and yawning. She passed Iris in the hall, who looked just as tired.
Both girls froze, and turned to look at each other.
And screamed.
Shakily, Iris poured herself a cup of coffee. She started to pour Sammy one as well, then paused, a confused look on her face.
"Extra cream, extra extra sugar, please." Sammy couldn't look at Iris. Some part of her felt the idea of coffee was...foreign, even repugnant...but she needed it all the same.
Iris managed to get both cups to the table and sat down, staring at Sammy.
"...who are you?"
"Iris! You know who I am, I'm Sammy."
"Yeah but...but...I mean...what are you?"
Sammy sighed. "Well...um...look at me. I'm your sister, and I'm eleven years old."
The older girl's eye twitched. "Then why do I remember you being my mom?!"
"I don't know, Iris. I remember it too. I remember your father, being pregnant with you...I remember the day you were born...but..."
Sammy shook her head and gestured to her body. "I've never had sex, and part of me thinks the whole idea of...you know, a boy in me...eww!"
Iris laughed. She was crying, but laughing. "I know exactly how you feel...um...Sammy...you know I like girls, right?"
Sammy nodded. "Sure, I've known for...I mean...you just told me...last night?"
"Fuck me this is confusing. Hey wait, if you're not my mom...who is?"
Vague memories of a mother who died several months ago surfaced in both girls. Iris had won custody over her younger sister, thanks in part to their family lawyer.
Sammy frowned. "I...I can't remember what she looked like...I can't even remember what Gramma Jackie...I mean..Mom...or....what's happening to me?!" She started to cry.
The victim of an identity theft often feels powerless, overcome with crushing despair. Sammy could relate to that loss, but in her case...she had literally lost herself.
Iris put her arms around Sammy and hugged her tightly. "Look...it's happening to me too. Happened. But I love you, Sammy, you know that. We'll get through this."
Sammy's body was wracked by sobbing, but finally she calmed down. "...we got our wish."
"What?"
"You..wished I was your sister...and so did I."
"Sam..that's silly. Wishes don't come true like that!"
Sam lay back, comfortable in her [sister's? daughter's?] embrace. But here it is. I don't have my job at Baxter and Brookmonte. I don't have a car or a license. I go to school. I ride the school bus."
Iris sighed. "Instead of studying for finals, I had to drop out and take my equivalency...so I could get a job at Wal-Mart."
"You worked for Wal-Mart.." Sam frowned, trying to remember.
"Yeah, for a summer, then I quit. 'cept now I didn't 'cuz I have you. Oh hell, my hair. I can't go to work with my hair like this!"
"But...it's been that way for..."
Iris shrugged. "Different life, I only did it 'cuz Nammi liked it...oh my god."
Iris seemed to deflate. "I...I've never...I don't know...we're not..."
"Iris, who is Nammi?" Sam turned in her Sister's...[?] lap and looked up at her, concerned.
Tears filled the older girl's eyes. "Naomi Gray..m...my girlfriend."
All the pieces fit now. Except now they didn't.
"Oh Iris...honey..."
Sammy hugged her daughter tightly. Both girls cried together for a time, and then it got quiet. A small clock chimed the hour.
Glancing at the microwave clock, Sammy's eyes got wide. "The clock! It's got the right time!"
"Wah..what clock?"
Sammy filled Iris in on the strange events of the previous night.
As a result...