Ty asked, "If it was you, which would you choose?" which could mean, "If it was you given the option to stay happy or go back, which would you choose?" or the question could be interpreted, "If it was you who had to responsibly pass judgement on someone, which would you choose?"
Dad stared thoughtfully for a moment, "Well, If I were you, err, person two..." a smile crept across his face. "I'd talk to them about their personality difference when they are alone vs when they are with other people. They could just be shy, or stressed, or trying to impress other people. You aren't the only one riding the hormone rollercoaster son."
Ty was expecting a more direct answer but couldn't directly apply the advise. If Ty spoke to foster brother Dustin, he would want his old life back. If Ty spoke to Dad, he wouldn't give up his current life.
"But Dad, If person one is in the tree-house he'd say stay, and if person one is back in town he'd say go. How will I know which they really want?"
Dad scratched his scruffy chin and said, "Well, what if you took them to the edge of the forest, overlooking the town?"
Ty liked being able to get guidance from someone, until now he never felt connected enough to open up. Watching people interact from what felt like an outside vantage point he never understood people's reactivity, but in the throws of finally connecting with someone he was outside his element and was less able to objectively examine what was going on.
If he was given time and internet forums he may have pieced together that, despite his intense feelings, and his Dad's earnestness, Dad wasn't acting of his own free will because of Ty's actions, which was undermining the relationship on a level that Ty's idealism couldn't accept. Well, he probably wouldn't piece that together without guidance, college classes, and maybe some therapy... but the point is, Ty decided to follow his father's advice.
Not understanding why he was risking what he built, Ty said, "Thank you Dad, that's good advice, and I think I can use it." Dad smiled, pleased that he could help his son. Though Ty and Dad hadn't said a whole lot there was a good amount of pausing, thinking, and smoking that went on, almost an hour and a half had passed. Dad leaned back in his chair, simply appreciating the moment, as dusk turned into darkness and the world seemed still.
Ty was nervous, dealing with emotions that up until now, never seemed possible. Ty downed the last half of his second beer, trying to steel his nerves. Speaking aloud to himself, "If the tree-house and the town aren't fair, gotta find the middle ground." Dad had just lit up another cigarette and without realizing Ty reached for the pack and did the same. They had finished the first pack which started around half full and were moving into the second. The activities of the evening had completed Ty's first and second wish, Dustin was now mentally and physically aged to be his 38 year old father, June is now his 35 year old mother, and Markie is their 25 year old live in houseboy sex toy.
I wish, that over the next 5 minutes, all of foster brother Dustin's memories, thoughts and feeling would come back but he would keep all of Dad Dustin's memories, thoughts, and feelings too, equally. I also wish that over the same time Dustin's body would physically regress to age 21.
"Dad?" Ty started, "I have a confession and this is going to sound crazy but I need you to listen."
Dad's eyes filled with pride and love. It's every father's dream to have their child trust and respect them enough to confide and seek guidance from them, especially when their child is a teen. He did all right as a parent. "Go on Ty."
"I received powers when I turned 15, and they seem to be limitless. You didn't always use to be my father. You use to be my foster brother who was always a big muscular jerk to me, and I use to be an underdeveloped shrimp. When I found that I had these powers I used them to change myself and you so I would be the muscular older brother, as you see me now, and you would look 13 but still be 16. While you were at school today, Mark, your father, who was always unfair to me and doting on you, was bossy to me and I decided to punish him for everything he did that hurt me over the last few years. I made him the houseboy Markie."
Ty took a deep drag and grabbed the last beer avoiding eye contact with Dustin. He could see that years had fallen off him already and his silence in the pause meant that some of the memories are coming back, otherwise the natural response would be to call Ty crazy.
"June came home and started to freak at the sight of Markie so I changed her mind to accept the reality I had made, like they accepted our overnight development changes. Then when you came home you freaked and were tackled and tied down. We weren't as close then so I wanted to punish you too, but I dont know what I want now. I told you what I did to mess with your head before I went on fixing reality. I followed you out here to remind you of your 16 year old self and to pretend that I thought you were my Dad. But then you acted like you were my Dad, and treated me like you were my Dad."
Dustin looked to be 30. Ty took several gulps of his beer just starting to feel the buzz because he made himself 215 lbs. Ty didnt know how to continue so for the second time that night he consciously took a drag off the cigarette not realizing it was his 6th or 7th of the evening.
Dustin was the polar opposite of Ty in that Dustin's feelings were fake but his understanding and ability to accurately empathize with Ty were real, Ty's emotions on the other hand were real but he couldn't just accept that the foundation they came from was false.
"So I'm taking your advise and making you meet yourself at the edge of the forest. I made you 21 currently because its your age of freedom as my foster brother and the age you lost your freedom as my dad. I don't know what to do, you are a great father and I just want to be loved."
"I do love you Ty!" Dustin's words came out immediately with a natural sincerity. He was breaching mid 20's. "I really dont know what to say or do with all this right now and I'm suddenly feeling really tired, can I sleep on this overnight?"
Definitely not the response Ty expected, "Um, yeah, sure."
With that Dustin stood up and started hobbling inside.
Ty wished that Markie and June would expect Dustin to look 21 and not disturb or expect anything from either of them and would go to the zoo or something tomorrow morning.
Ty finished his beer and cleaned up the back porch, a habit ingrained in him from Mark's stern rule, before going to his room. Ty wished protection on himself and that if anyone came to his room intent on entering they would sense it was booby trapped, if they tried to enter his room or harm him they would fall into a coma like sleep and be ignored by anyone in the house but Ty. Then he wished himself into a very deep and restful sleep that will last as long as he needed. Ty really hated waking up and not being able to fall back asleep.