The disruptor had managed to regress Jessica's clothing right out of existence, as wisps of dyed fiber blew away on the breeze. She'd shrunk to a girl of six, a year younger than her youngest daughter. She had the appearance of a china doll, with pale blonde hair and dark blue eyes. Seemingly unconcerned with her loss of clothing (and years), Jessica kept right on chatting away.
Paige's eyes grew wide. What had she done?!
"...so I was easily able to save her a ten thousand dollars or so, you have to watch out for these shady dealers..." Just then, the phone rang.
"Oh, sorry dear, I have to get this." Without batting an eye, the little girl pushed a chair up next to the kitchen counter, climbed up on it, and sat on the counter as she answered the phone, holding the receiver in both hands.
"Jessica Lindsey speaking. Oh, Ms. Carter, how are you? Is something wrong with Rook? Oh dear, the poor thing. Alright, I'll come pick her up shortly. Thank you. Of course. Goodbye."
She hung up the phone and looked over to Paige.
"That was Rook's teacher, she got into a fight during PE, and while she was showering, the other girl took her clothes and burned them."
Jessica sighed. "It's so hard raising a pair of tomboys. Now I know how my parents felt. I'll need you to drive us, Paige."
"Oh sure thing." Paige was curious about this new reality. How could a six year old be the parent of two girls, 11 and 7? Yet the teacher didn't seem to notice at all. Somehow, Jessica seemed to assume Paige would drive her...it was odd that she seemed to have new memories, but Paige didn't.
Well the only thing to do was play along and see what happened. Luckily, Paige had her license, and was a good driver, retaining her adult skills.
"Just a few minutes while I get dressed, honey." Jessica went upstairs, the whole issue of her nudity completely ignored.
About ten minutes later, she came back down, wearing a pair of sensible shoes, an expensive dark pantsuit, and a lavender blouse. Paige recognized the outfit, it was pretty expensive, but made Jessica look very professional. It had also, at the time, been sized for an adult woman. Jessica was half-carrying, half-dragging a duffel bag stuffed with clothes.
She smiled sheepishly. "I didn't know what she'd want to wear. Think you could carry it for me?"
Paige nodded, and they headed out to Jessica's Ford Focus. Jessica tossed Paige the keys and got in the back. "I really hate those safety laws; I'm worth several million dollars, but because I'm under 4' tall, I have to sit in a child seat, it's unfair."
To Paige's astonishment, Jessica sat herself in a safety seat and buckled herself in!
"Unreal.." She got in the driver's seat, everything was adjusted for her already, as if she was the primary driver of the car. Which, Paige supposed, she was, although she didn't remember it. While they drove, Jessica grumbled a bit more about being treated like a child, but eventually a song they both liked came on the radio, and they sang along all the way to the school.
No one, kids or teachers, batted an eye when Paige and Jessica arrived, and headed to the Principal's office.
The Principal, Mr. North, was very helpful, and led them to the room where Rook was waiting. Rook was a slightly older version of her mother, 4' 1", although she had her father's raven hair. She'd been crying, and she had a few bruises, as well as one under her left eye. Once she saw Jessica, she ran, and hugged the smaller girl.
"I'm so glad you're here, Mom!"
"Shh, it's ok baby. I got clothes for you, we're leaving, you deserve the rest of the day off."
Rook brightened and tore into the duffel, getting dressed in front of the two of them without a care; Paige was reminded of how casual Jessica had been about her lack of clothes. She was able to deduce at least two things about this new reality. One, she was practically a family member, the Lindseys' seemed to trust her implicitly. Two, they were closet nudists, at the very least.
They were soon back in the car, with Jessica complaining about the child seat again. Rook just patted her mother's hand, glad to be finally tall enough not to need one.
They went out for dinner and ice cream, and got home a few hours later. Rook went upstairs to take a bath, and Jessica headed to the living room, Paige in tow.
"Thanks again, Paige, you're a lifesaver. With David, I didn't need anyone else, but now that he's gone, I'm glad to have you."
"I'm happy to help, Jessica."
"Oh please, we're at home, call me Jessi. I'm going to get out of these clothes, they look sharp, but they're far from comfortable." And without another word, the six year old mother of two stripped out of her clothes, folded them up carefully, and sat on the couch in nothing but her underwear (a crimson silk number that was definitely NOT marketed for children!).
Just then, Cassidy came in. She also greatly resembled an older version of her mother, but she was very tall for her age, and her hair had a reddish tint to it. She wore it short, not even shoulder length, where her mother and little sister seemed to enjoy long hair.
"Hey Mom, Paige, Rook wasn't on the bus, what's up?"
She came into the room. Unlike Rook, who went to a public school, Cassidy was enrolled at Saint Helen's Academy, which hadn't updated it's dress code in at least fifty years. To be honest, however, the tartan skirt, white blouse, and bobby socks worked for Cassidy, despite her height; at eleven, she was already an inch and a half taller than Paige, and was very likely to end up over 6' tall (her mother, as an adult, had been 5' 9"...now she was more like 3' 11"). Cassidy's own addition to the uniform was a navy blue tie that had belonged to her father "about the only thing about him I liked", she'd said on occasion.
As Jessi explained the events of the day, to Paige's suprise, Cassidy started undressing right in front of her. Cassidy had a very trim, athletic body, with about as good a figure as a girl her age could have, although her chest was still almost flat.
Cassidy tossed her clothes carelessly onto a loveseat and sat in a chair, giving Paige a wink.
Paige had suspected it before; in this new reality, there was no doubt at all. Cassidy Lindsey (She had her father to thank for the improbable name) was a lesbian. A Catholic Schoolgirl Lesbian, no less.
Part of Paige wished she was at least bi, but she'd never had any leanings towards her own gender, so the attention she was getting was...a bit uncomfortable.
Jessi seemed oblivious to her daughter, she was watching the financial report with her bright eyes focused.
"Heh, she's zoned out again. Prolly figured out how to make another mil while I was gettin' comfy. That's mom for you. Unfortunately, I didn't get her brains, so..."
She smiled at Paige. "I won't be spacing out on you."
"I don't think it's fair for you to call yourself dumb. You and Zane used to talk right over my head."
Cass nodded. "Zane was about the only guy I could stand. And I guess you're right. Just my kind of smarts is different from Mom and Rookie."
"Don't call me that!" Rook came downstairs, wearing nothing but a towel, her hair damp from her bath.
"Heard you got into a strip fight, was she cute at least?"
Rook sat down on the couch next to Paige and glared at her sister. "No, she looks like a boy. She was bullying another girl, so I let her have it. Didn't think she was going to go that far...I'll bust her lip open tomorrow, you watch."
Cassidy just laughed. "Aw go easy on her, she just wanted to see you naked."
Rook frowned. "I feel dirty now."
"It's ok Rookie. I get stares all the time. They can't help it, they're jealous 'cuz they ain't pretty like us. Thank Momma for that. Anyways, who knows, maybe you'll meet a nice girl.
"I'm not like you, Cassie. Leave me out of your sick fantasies!"
Cassidy didn't seem to hear her. "Ah, young lust. If I was a few years younger, I'd be all over some of the girls at your school. Like that tiny girl you sit with at lunch, what's her name, Claudia?"
"Claudette. She is really cute, but so helpless. She can't stand up for herself, it's annoying."
"See, I'd be her prince in shining armor."
"I don't think she's into girls, Sis."
"I haven't seduced her yet!" Cass grinned.
Just then, Jessi tuned back in. "You girls are too young to be even thinking about sex. When I was your age..."
Her daughters just laughed.
"You know what I mean!"
"Yes Mom, we know."
"Hmph. Go order us a pizza for dinner, I'm too comfy to cook."
Cass grinned. "Sure thing, Mom." She walked over and gave her mother a kiss on the top of her forehead and then headed to the kitchen.
"And don't answer the door without any clothes on!"
"Even if she's cute?"
"Eww...Sis!"
Paige just shook her head. This family made no sense!
And something told her it was about to get worse...