Brandy was already sitting at her desk when I arrived for a new week of school. She looked over at me when I sat down and said hi to her.

Brandy said, “Hi Chrys. I heard that you went to Timmy’s birthday party.”

I shook my head. “Not really true. I mean I was at the Rat’s pizza place, but I wasn’t there with Timmy. We played a game together and that was about it.”

“Do you like Timmy? Do you like boys now?” asked Brandy. She seemed like she was in an odd state of mind.

I shrugged. “Timmy’s okay, I guess. He’s a boy. And no, I’m not liking boys. Are you okay?”

She shook her head. “No. I’m not. I have three children. I think I do. That’s all fuzzy now. I don’t remember their faces. I don’t remember their names. I’m their mother. I’m their mother and I remember nothing.” A tear trickled down her cheek. “I really thought I could hold on to who I used to be. But I can’t.”

I was overwhelmed with grief for her. I know only too well how it feels to have your memory start to slip. I said, “Oh Brandy. I’m so sorry!”

She cried out a couple more tears, and then suddenly she blinked a few times, looked at me oddly then smiled. She asked, “How was Timmy’s party? I think he likes you.”

I looked at her curiously. “What about your children?”

She chuckled. “Don’t be goofy. I’m a kid like you. I don’t have children.”

I just stared at Brandy in disbelief. Oh my God. She’s gone. The Brandy I knew was gone. I thought she was so strong. How soon before I’m gone?

The teacher looked up from her desk and scanned the room. She looked at me and said, “Chrystal? Honey are you okay? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

Nodding, I said looking at Brandy. “I think I have.”

Chuckling, the teacher said, “I doubt the school is haunted.”

The teacher gave me an odd look when I said, “I think we just lost a spirit.”

Brandy giggled at something she said to the girl who sits across from her. She turned to look at me and it was very plain. Her “old” eyes were gone.

I felt suddenly alone in the world. I really thought together, we’d hang on. It actually irritated me that she now looked happy. Just an everyday little girl; not saddled with anything from the past. Was it more merciful to just let go? Is the Switcher going to win in the end? There was no fighting “going native.”

I didn’t say anything when I got in the car with Mom. She gave me a curious look. “Honey are you okay? You seem a little down in the dumps.”

I was silent for a moment staring out my window. Still staring, I said, “I lost my best friend today. She went native.”

Mom glanced over at me. “Are you sure? How would you really know?”

I looked up at Mom. “I saw it in her eyes. We were talking and she was suddenly different.” I looked back out the window. “Is that going to happen to me?”

Mom sighed. “I’m not going to lie to you sweetie. I know you don’t want to hear this, but everything I hear from the so-called experts say ‘going native’ is inevitable.”

I frowned. “Resistance is futile, eh?”

Mom nodded. “Basically. Would it really be so bad, honey? Just be a little girl and toss all that old baggage? It just makes you unhappy.”

I looked over at Mom. “But it’s who I am.”

Mom played with my hair a moment. At a stop light, she looked over at me. “I just want you to be happy, honey. You’ve been given a gift. A second chance to become whomever you want. A model. An actress. Even an astronaut that you wanted so much as a boy. The sky’s the limit. Don’t let the past hold you back.”

I scowled at the glove compartment. “But it also shapes your future. Just like my friend Brandy. Her original life was taken from her by that Switcher bastard, just like me. But she still had the memory of her children and all she’d done before she was switched with a nine year old boy. But now she’s just a ten year old little girl who thinks boys have cooties.”

Mom smiled at me as she tousled my hair. She said, “Think about how hard that must have been for her, to be forever separated from her children. Now her heart has been freed.”

I looked over at her and felt tears welling up. “At least you still have a memory of Mom and Dad.”

Dede wiped a tear away. “You have me.”

As we entered our house, I walked over to the TV to watch cartoons. I smirked at the thought that that part of my life never changed. Mom had wandered off to her bedroom for her daily ritual of taking off her bra and kicking her high heels across the room.

While I was cuddling with Mr. Bunny while laying on the carpet in front of the TV, Mom came out of her room and entered the kitchen. I heard her banging stuff around and drawers opening and closing with a few grunts and groans tossed in. After a few minutes she came back out into the living room.

“Honey, I need you to go change,” she said as she tied on an apron. “I should have mentioned this sooner, but Oliver is coming over. I’m going to make dinner. It’d be great if you could help me. And before he gets here, I’d like for you to change into a skirt.”

I sat up and still holding Mr. Bunny, I said, “Of course I’ll help you, Mom. But what’s wrong with what I’m wearing?”

Mom moved a few loose strands of hair from her face. “I just want you to look nice.”

I pointed at my jeans. “These look nice.”

Mom frowned and rested her fists on her hips. “Just go change.”

I sighed and stood up. “Yes, ma’am.” I walked slowly into my room. I put Mr. Bunny down on my bed and entered my closet. I picked up a cute, pleated denim skirt. “Cute” never used to be a big part of my vocabulary but it sure pops up a lot now. Smiling, I carried the skirt out of the closet and put it on my bed.

As I removed my jeans, I pondered on what significance there was to Oliver coming over for dinner. Was it just a friendly gesture or a strategic move to bring Oliver closer to asking Mom to marry him? And what would that mean for me? I shuddered to think. I put the skirt on and walked back to the kitchen.

Mom smiled at me. “Don’t you look just darling!” She handed me a spoon. “Can you stir this for a minute?” She hurried off to her room to put her heels back on. Upon her return, she patted my head and had me stir something else. “You’re doing great, honey.”

After about ten minutes, the doorbell rang. Mom flew into a momentary panic. She quickly took off her apron. “Just keep an eye on things while I get the door. That has to be Oliver.” She darted out of the kitchen.

While I heard the front door open and Mom greet Oliver, I just stood in the middle of the kitchen holding a spoon and wondering just what the hell was I expected to do.

Mom came back into the kitchen and said, “Go keep Oliver company while I finish up. It’ll just be a few minutes.” She then slipped on a potholder to remove the casserole out of the oven. I sighed and walked out to the living room to greet Oliver.

As I approached, Oliver smiled broadly at me. “Hey there, Chrystal! How’s it going?”

I shrugged. “It’s going okay, I guess.”

Oliver chuckled. “Just okay? Learn anything new in school?”

I said, “I guess.”

He grinned at my lack of sparkling conversation skills and handed me a plastic bag with something inside. “Just something I picked up for you.”

Inside the bag was a Barbie coloring book. I smiled at Oliver and said brightly, “Thank you!” I was never that big in to coloring books, but Mom has gotten me a few and I’ve found it a nice way to spend an afternoon. Before the original switch, I was a decent artist and would draw pictures of anime girls with big tits. Now all I can create are this misshapen abominations in crayon.

Mom walked to the dining table. “Dinner’s ready, guys.” Looking at me she continued, “Honey, can you get the mashed potatoes?” I darted off to the kitchen.

Oliver chuckled. “You have her well trained.” He got up from his chair by the TV and walked to the dining table. “Well, she’s as beautiful as her mother.” He then kissed Mom. On the lips. Eww.

Mom laughed as she scooped some casserole onto Oliver’s plate as if he was incapable of doing it himself. “Yeah, she’s going to be quite a little heartbreaker.” She then filled everyone’s glasses with tea before sitting down across from Oliver. I set the potatoes on the table near Mom and Oliver helped himself to a lion’s share. I hoped there was some left for me.

The remote control for the TV was resting on the dining table and Mom frowned as she picked it up. One of my favorite anime was just starting; Space Battleship Yamato. I loved the theme song. Mom pressed the power button on the remote as she said, “I hate these damned cartoons.”

Oliver nodded. “Certainly not appropriate for a little girl.”

I wanted to shout ‘Who the fuck are you, dipshit?’ Instead, I just whined, “Mmmooooommm!”

Using her fork, Mom pointed at my plate and said, “Eat your green beans.”

Pissed, I stared angrily at the now blank screen as I speared some green beans. I’ll be glad when Sir Dipshit leaves.

Mom and Oliver discussed things going on at work, gossiped about the rather loose girl from Logistics and some events in the news. I just complained about my life telepathically with Mr. Bunny. I’m not supposed to have toys on the dinner table, but Mr. Bunny is a member of the household.

Oliver leaned back and stretched. Starting with a satisfied groan, he said, “That was really good, Dede.”

Mom smiled broadly. “Thank you!”

Oliver started to look uneasy. Was he trying to hold in a fart? He pulled something out of his pocket and slid to one knee beside Mom. He held up a felt covered box as Mom’s eyes grew soft and teary. He opened the box and asked, “Will you marry me?”

Bursting out in full blown tears, Mom cried, “Oh yes! Yes!” She held out her hand as Oliver slid an engagement ring onto her finger. Mom was crying as they both stood and kissed.

I sat and stared in abject shock. What a revoltin’ development this is.

To be continued…