We returned to the living room. The other two couples had not yet returned. “I guess I’ll turn on the news while we wait,” I said as I sat on the couch. Rachel remained standing. Unfortunately there was still nothing on the news that pertained to the most recent wish. “Ugh. I really hope this doesn’t drag out. I know I’ll still have my job, but what are you going to do?”
“What, you mean there will be no more modeling jobs in a world without clothes?” Rachel said with a deprecating tone.
I tried to laugh but couldn’t. “I’m serious,” I said. “What if we end up doing more harm than good? We were so impulsive in doing this, we only thought about the change itself.”
“Joe,” she said as she sat down next to me and snuggled close. “I know a lot has happened the last two days, but I really think we’re meant to be together. And I think that means together we can figure anything out. And whatever we can’t figure out, hopefully the ring can.”
“Yes, but we can’t let the ring live our lives,” I said.
“It won’t live our lives, we will,” she assured. “We’ll only use the ring when something arises that affects more than just us. Doesn’t that sound right?”
I nodded. “I think so. Hopefully that’s the way it will stay,” I said.
The two of us enjoyed a few moments of simply being near each other in a non-sexual manner. During this time I became aware of the fact that my hair was tickling my shoulder blades. I shook my head from side to side and had a few strands of hair hit me in the face. I grabbed a few pieces so that I could look at it. The color had not changed.
At that moment Pam and Carl burst back into the apartment. Both were laughing and smiling at each other. They took their places on the other couch and didn’t seem to acknowledge our presence at all. I took of notice of two different things about them. Carl’s hair was longer than mine and was definitely becoming curlier. Pam’s breasts had also changed in some way. I didn’t know how exactly, but they definitely looked different. I determined it must have been a continuation of the “prime physical condition” part of the wish.
Rachel leaned in close to me and whispered, “Stop staring at your sister’s tits before she gets mad at you.”
“Yea, quit staring at my girlfriend’s breasts,” said Carl.
There was an audible gasp from the three of us. “How did you hear that?” asked Rachel.
“Carl, have you heard your voice?” I asked in my own altered voice.
“I’m your girlfriend?” asked Pam.
Carl took a breath and said to Rachel, “Um, OK, in order, you weren’t that quiet and I have great hearing.” Then he turned to me and said, “Yes, and have you heard your own?” Finally he looked at Pam and said, “Well…aren’t you?”
Pam opened her mouth but nothing came out. Slowly a smile spread on her face. “Yea,” she said. “I guess I am.” She interlocked her fingers with Carl’s, held them up for me and Rachel to see and said, “It’s official. We’re a couple.” Then she gave Carl a passionate kiss.
“Well, good for you both,” said Rachel.
“Isn’t this so great?” mused Carl. “You two are together now, we’re together now, and Scott and Joyce seem pretty good with each other.”
“Oh, we’re better than pretty good,” said Joyce. Rachel and I turned to see Joyce and Scott re-enter the room. They, too, were holding hands with interlocked fingers. They squeezed themselves down on the couch next to Rachel and myself, with Rachel moving herself as close to me as she could without sitting on top of me.
“Should you tell them or should I?” asked Scott. Just like me and Carl, his voice was noticeably higher. I saw that his hair looked about the same length as mine. The color still seemed to be changing somewhat as well.
Rachel asked, “Tell us what?”
Scott and Joyce just giggled. Then in unison they shouted, “We’re getting married!”
None of us said anything. All of us were speechless with our mouths hanging open in stunned amazement. Several moments of this silence soured the looks on the faces of Scott and Joyce. Finally I blurted out, “Congratulations!”
“Yea, congratulations!” echoed Carl.
Then Pam said, “Scott, are you nuts?”
Rachel followed with, “Are you sure about this, Joyce?”
“I don’t believe it,” said Scott. “I thought if anyone would say something negative, it would be Joe, not you, Pam.”
Joyce was much less aggressive sounding when she answered Rachel with, “Of course I’m sure.”
“OK, wait a second,” I said. “One conversation at a time. Pam, what’s wrong?”
“What do you mean ‘what’s wrong,’ Joe?” she said. “They only met yesterday!”
Scott said, “So? You only met Carl yesterday!”
“We’re not getting married!” Pam shouted back.
“My turn,” Joyce interrupted. “Pam, is there something about me you don’t like?”
“Well…no,” Pam answered. “I just think…”
“That we’re moving too fast, right?” Joyce interrupted.
Pam nodded and said, “Yes.”
Joyce said, “We have reasons. And this will answer your question, too,” she said to Rachel. “I’m getting to that age where I’ve been around the block. I’ve played the field. All those other stupid clichés. I’ve had fun, but mostly I’ve been either hurt or unfulfilled in some way. But the moment I looked at Scott, and I saw how nervous and sweet he was around me, I knew he was different. I knew he was the type of person I wanted. I’ve told you before Rachel that I would just know when I met the right person. Honestly there was that time when I thought you were that person, but…well, we were actually too close. I’m sorry, Joe, I hope that doesn’t upset you.”
“No,” I said. “That’s between you two.”
Rachel said, “That’s why I asked if you were sure. Not because I don’t think highly of Scott. You always told me to ask.”
“I know,” Joyce said with a smile. “Thank you for remembering.”
Pam said to Scott, “So what are your reasons?”
“Why not?” he said. “As soon as I saw her I fell in love.”
“The fact that I wasn’t wearing any pants when he first saw me helped,” Joyce laughed.
“Yes, that’s true,” Scott laughed back. “We just connected. In so many ways. I can’t explain it that well, I just know this is the right thing for me. For us.”
Pam asked again, “Connected…how?”
Scott answered, “We found we have a lot of similar interests and likes. I almost feel like we can read each other’s thoughts. And of course we…” His voice cut off rather abruptly. “We connected, OK?” he said just as abruptly and he’d stopped.
Joyce clutched his hand tighter and said, “It’s OK, you can say it. There’s no reason to be embarrassed by it.”
“We’re totally sexually compatible,” Scott said.
“How so?” asked Pam.
Scott looked at Joyce who smiled and nodded. “Joyce takes the lead,” he answered. Pam looked confused. He added, “You know, she’s the dominant one.”
“You mean you’re Joyce’s bitch or something?” Pam asked with disbelief. Hearing the word “bitch” in that context made me squirm a little. Pam made it sound like a taunt. Considering how the bedroom relationship between Rachel and I had developed, it also felt like she was throwing a knife at me. But she couldn’t know that about us, could she?
“It’s not that at all,” answered Joyce. “He lets me do what I want and plays along. I guess that means I’m ‘controlling’ him, but it doesn’t mean he’s my ‘bitch.’ I would never do anything he wouldn’t want me to do.”
I decided to chime in. “And anyway, haven’t you been taking the lead with Carl? It sure looks that way,” I said.
Pam shot me a very nasty look. But that look soon dissipated. “No, not really,” she mumbled as her eyes looked down. “I mean, I don’t know. Have I?” she turned to Carl and asked.
“You’ve been leading the way, sure,” said Carl. “But like Joyce said, you haven’t been forcing me what to do. I think you’re overreacting a little for some reason. You should be happy for them.”
“You’re not happy for me, sis?” Scott asked. He said it in such a tone that I recognized as him baiting our sister. Pam could be combative with both of us, but she’d realized a long time ago that Scott, as the middle child, usually had it the hardest among the three of us. Because of that, she was generally closer to Scott than she was to me. Scott asked the question in such a way that if she responded negatively, he would be genuinely hurt. He knew that she wouldn’t want to really hurt him.
Pam broke down and cried. Then she got up and ran over to Scott and hugged him tightly. “Oh, of course I’m happy for you,” she said. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I…I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”
Scott and Joyce both quickly embraced her. “Aw, come on, stop. You’re going to get me crying,” said Scott.
“Don’t be upset,” Joyce assured.
Pam regained her composure slowly. “But I was so mean and I don’t know why. Who am I to judge you two? If you two are sure, that’s all that matters,” she said.
Rachel stood up and said, “Come on, let’s have a toast!”
“Great idea!” said Carl as he stood up and followed Rachel.
In a minute we were all in the kitchen holding up glasses. “To Scott and Joyce!” we all toasted.