Oh, shit, I immediately thought. I had a feeling as to who was about to walk in the apartment.
“Knock, knock, knock,” came a cheerful voice. I immediately recognized the voice as that of Samantha’s younger sister Kelsey. “I brought someone to meet you guys!”
I turned my attention to the door to see Kelsey walk in with a guy I did not recognize. Kelsey was about four years younger than Samantha. They couldn’t be more different. Samantha was fairly strait-laced and even-tempered. Kelsey was much more outgoing, carefree and, frankly, reckless. She seemed like she hopped on a lot of trends. For the last two years, however, she’d remained firmly in a skater girl mode. I could see that she was dressed as if she’d just come from the skate park as she had a skateboard under one arm. The guy that accompanied her was dressed like a typical skateboarding guy and also carried a skateboard.
Naturally it didn’t take long for Kelsey to notice the two naked bodybuilders in the apartment. The guy looked more surprised than she did. “What in the fuck?” she shouted. “Joe, is that you?” she demanded in an equally loud voice. Luckily her guy friend had closed the door to the apartment. The last thing I needed right now was someone else knocking on the door.
“Yes, it’s me,” I answered.
Before I could say anything else, she continued, “Who is that? Where is my sister? What-what-what the fuck is going on?”
I knew I didn’t have much chance of her believing me. I also didn’t need her suddenly leaving the apartment and possibly creating a scene. So I did the best thing I could. “Kelsey, I wish you and your friend would come over to the couch and sit down,” I said.
They both obediently followed my wish, though they dropped their skateboards by the door. Once they were both sitting down, I walked over to face them. Kelsey spoke before I could. “Do you think maybe you and whoever that is should be wearing something?”
For the sake of not wasting time I said, “I wish you wouldn’t be bothered by the two of us being naked.” They both shook their heads slightly. “Do you have any problems with me being naked now?” I asked.
“No,” she said slowly and with confusion.
“And why did you listen to me when I asked you to come and sit on the couch?” I asked.
“I don’t know,” she said in a matching tone.
“Exactly,” I said. “Let me explain it all to you.” I went over the whole story from top to bottom. Kelsey continued to look at me with extreme skepticism. Her friend seemed much more fascinated. When I finished my explanation I said to her, “Now do you believe any of that?”
“Of course I don’t!” she exclaimed.
I nodded. “Yea, I didn’t expect you to,” I said. “So let me prove it. I wish you would stand up and sit down three times each in quick succession.” Before she could raise an objection, she obliged my wish and did as I’d asked. When she finished she had another look of shock on her face. “Do I have to provide another demonstration?”
“Yea,” she answered. “What’s the name of my boyfriend here whom you’ve never met?” She immediately turned to her boyfriend and said, “Don’t say a damned thing!”
I wished that I knew his name and once it entered my mind I said, “His name is Randy Whitson, but you also call him…”
“Shut up!” Kelsey screamed as she shot up from the couch and forced her hands over my mouth. Her eyes were as wide as saucers and she looked frightened. She said, “How the hell did…”
“Dammit, babe, you said you never told anyone else!” exclaimed the now-identified Randy. He stood up from the couch as well and looked angry.
Kelsey turned to look at him. From what I could see of her face, she now looked worried. “Babe, I didn’t!”
“Sure,” he said. “I’m outta here.” He turned toward the door and appeared ready to walk out.
I forced Kelsey’s hands off my mouth. “Randy, I wish you wouldn’t leave,” I said quickly. He had just taken his first step, but his progress toward the door immediately ceased. “Randy, she didn’t tell anyone. Or at least she didn’t tell me. I don’t even know what you’re talking about. But I wished to know your name and I just wished for you to stop trying to leave, and both things happened, didn’t they?” He nodded. “So, please, sit down again.” He did as I asked. “You too, Kelsey,” I said. She also obliged. “Now do you believe me?” I asked.
“I guess I have to,” she said. She glanced over at the former Samantha. Throughout this whole ordeal of mine, he’d remained in place by the barrier wall. He smiled at her. She looked back at me. In a quieter voice she asked, “So that is Samantha but she…or, he, doesn’t remember?”
“That’s the gist of it,” I answered.
“Well what are you going to do about that?” she asked.
“I was in the process of trying to figure that out when you walked in,” I said. “Any ideas?”