The Magic Rocks

Chapter 1
The Magic Rocks

“Hello Mrs. Bailey, how are you doing today?”

“Oh my goodness, Brenda, what on earth are you doing here?”

“Well, you know I promised your son, Michael; while he was away on business that I would drop by when I had time to make sure you were okay and see if you need anything done, or want to go shopping or anything.”

“That boy, I swear worries too much about me, I’m not as weak as I look.” She laughs, grabbing my elbow and bringing me into her small apartment.

I hadn’t been here in a few months and everything was exactly as the last time I was there, right down to the smell of peppermint. Mrs. Bailey uses it for her aches and pains in her hands and, is adamant it works better than any medicine from any Doctor.

The furniture was all antiques but looked as good as new. The porcelain figurines all glisten in the sunlight as though they had just been dusted and sat at perfect angles to be viewed. House plants that were years old, were thriving. Not a speck of anything on the carpet which had a worn path from so many feet pressing it down over the many years. Pretty hand-made doilies on every surface, still white despite their age, some with tiny colored flowers etched in. Nothing had changed over the years. It was my second home growing up next door, and felt still like home.

We had known the Baileys since I was five years old, after my Father passed away, Mother and I had to find a smaller place to live due to the cost of the other. We had to make many changes after Father’s accident but we handled it as best we could and the Bailey’s had a lot to do with that.

There was never a time growing up that we weren’t treated like anything but family, without Mrs. Bailey I don’t know what Mother would have done. She was always willing to baby sit me or make sure I had dinner if Mother had to work late. She even helped me with my homework.

When I met Michael, he was seven and instantly we became best friends. He was an only child living with his Grandmother; his parents went on a mission trip to Haiti, got sick and died on the Island when he was just two.

His Grandmother, Hazel, is a kind and wonderful, all-be-it odd person took him in immediately and raised him.

Seems to me she was always old and looked the same as she did when I was five. Her grey hair kept neatly atop her head in a bun. I never saw it down. Kind of short but stout, with a smile on her face always. Her glasses forever doing a balancing act on the end of her nose.

“Sit down dear, I’ll make some tea.”

“Oh no, its okay, I’m fine.” I protested.

“Now Brenda, you know me well enough to know that wasn’t a question, now sit and chat with me over some tea.”

“Yes Ma’am.” I said with a smile.

Mrs. Bailey was heating the water and sitting up the cups as I sat at the small dining room table. Looking around, I noticed how absolutely perfect everything was. She had such a typical old woman’s home. A mixture of old and new things were on the shelves and walls.

Framed pictures that Michael had drawn over the years, you couldn’t even tell what some were, but you could tell she loved them anyway. Michael was her whole world and she loved him dearly.

It seemed hard to believe that Michael and I had been friends for twenty-five years.

“Here you go.” Mrs. Bailey said, sitting the tea down in front of me with a small plate of homemade cookies.

“Thank you. Now what is it you need help with this week? I am off until Saturday, so you have me for a whole three days.” I told her while sipping the tea and eating a cookie.

“Oh what perfect timing; Michael will be coming home from his business seminar Friday evening. Maybe we could all have a picnic or something on Saturday.” She asked.

“Sure that would be great, I haven’t seen Michael since August, will be good to catch up with him before Thanksgiving.” I said.

“Good, then it’s a date, I’ll plan a lunch and you bring a blanket and some drinks?” She asked.

“I sure will.” I replied.

“Okay, so now onto some things I need done around here, well you know my hands give me a fit nowadays and I really need to get the flower bed set up to put some new tulip bulbs I bought into the ground before it freezes, can you help me with that dear?” She asked.

“Of course I can, would be a pleasure to.” I said with a bow of my head which always made her laugh out loud.

“Now you stop that.” She teased.

I didn’t want to tell Hazel, but I was nervous about seeing Michael again. Between his work and mine we hadn’t really connected, other than phone conversations in several years.

I heard he was a workaholic and had become rather distant from his friends and family.

Michael was a real estate attorney and his company had clients all over the country. He traveled a lot and never really had a serious or long lasting relationship with anyone. He wasn’t the same sweet, little boy I grew up with, but then again why would I expect him to be?

I said my goodbyes to Mrs. Bailey, telling her I would be back around lunch time to start helping out around her apartment. On the drive home I couldn’t help but think about Michael and me when we were younger. We were inseparable as kids, even in high school. We knew each other very well and were quite close. We helped each other cope with the loss of a parent, or in his case both parents. We understood each other on that level and helped to build our bond.

Of course, over the years our paths took different directions. We attended different colleges and went our separate ways after that on our career paths. Michael was very smart and always wanted to be an attorney. I went into social services and worked in the same community I grew up in while Michael got to travel all the time, putting even more distance in between our friendship.

Finally reaching my home I made some dinner and did some chores around the house that needed to be done. I looked for an old blanket to use on Saturday and even found an old wicker picnic basket I had completely forgotten about tucked away in the closet.

“Yes, this will do nicely.” I said out loud folding the blanket and placing it inside the picnic basket.

I got to Mrs. Baileys’ right at lunch time as promised. And just as I had imagined, she met me at the door with a hug and directed me to the kitchen where she had lunch prepared. The same as when we were kids. She had made tuna sandwich, a glass of milk, and potato chips along with fresh made brownies for dessert. While we ate our lunch she was excitedly talking about how wonderful it would be to see Michael and me together at the same time after so long. I reluctantly agreed and finished the meal.

“Brenda dear, can you reach this box in the pantry for me? I am pretty sure this is where the tulip bulbs are.” She asked.

“Sure, let me grab the step ladder over here.”

“Oh, now you have to be careful, if you fall I can’t catch you.” She teased me.

“I will be careful Mrs. Bailey.” I told her while stepping onto the ladder to reach the box. I reached up for the box and felt around in it, and could feel the bulbs inside.

“Oh yeah, this is the right box, I can feel the bulbs inside.” I told her while pulling it down off the top shelf.

I sat the box on the table and started looking around in it.

“Um, Mrs. Bailey, I don’t think these tulips are going to be good for planting or not, they seem to be dried up and there are rocks in here also.” I told her.

“Let me see that box.” She said sliding it over to her side of the table.

“Well, what in the world is in this box, it’s not bulbs at all; it’s full of magic rocks.”

“I see… Wait? What? Did you say it was full of magic rocks Mrs. Bailey?

She sat down and started laughing, “Yes dear, I said magic rocks. Well, at least that is what Mr. Bailey used to tell me all the time. He would tease me and say, “Hazel, these are magic rocks, when I am gone, you can use them, but only after I am gone. Just rub one in between your palms and whisper your wish to them and as long as the wish can cause no harm it will come true.”

She started laughing again kind of staring off into the distance. I knew she was thinking of Mr. Bailey with fond memories and love. I didn’t remember much about Mr. Bailey, he passed away shortly after we moved here. I do remember him being kind and telling stories about the flowers, plants, insects, birds, animals and nature a lot. He even once told me had seen a real fairy once.

“Oh my, how he used to go on and on about magic and the forces of nature and how much we simply did not understand as “humans” because we lacked imagination. He sure was something,” She said a little teary eyed.

“Well, we better get rid of this box of broken rocks and find them bulbs.” She said, standing up and rummaging through the box.

“Mrs. Bailey, did you ever try to make a wish after Mr. Bailey was gone?”

“Oh sure, I did. But nothing I wished for had ever come true.”

“What kind of wishes that is if you don’t mind me asking?”

“Well, I was never much for doing housework, so I wished that task would be easy and that his “fairies” would come into the house at night to do work for me.” She giggled at herself.

Well, that explained why nothing was ever out of place and why I never once saw her dusting. I became very curious.

“And…?” I baited her to continue.

“Well, I remember one time I was at my wits end with Michael and getting him to study I wished he would take more of an interest in books and work on his education.”

“What else were there any other wishes Mrs. Bailey?” I was wondering.

“I needed help with some bills after paying for Mr. Bailey’s funeral and a few days later I got a check in the mail from a silly contest at the grocery store I had entered. Oh, I had completely forgotten I even entered the stupid thing, I never dreamt I would have one, but I did. Of course, this was just a coincidence; these rocks weren’t magical at all. Mr. Bailey, was a prankster and used to go on and on about silly things like that all the time. Filling you kids head with stories. But, I do admit, it was fun and oh did he have an imagination. But look now, they are all falling apart and need to be dumped out. Sad really, some of them were quite pretty at one time.”

She walked away to get a garbage bag and I started removing the pieces of broken rocks. Some just crumbled in my hand and others were too hard you couldn’t break them again even though they had already broken once.

Mrs. Bailey returned with the bag and we started sliding the pieces off the table and into the garbage bag. I had a strange sense come over me and I became a little dizzy. I had a feeling like I was throwing away something important that had died. My stomach became upset and I was glad when we had finished and all the debris was off the table and into the bag. I walked over to the sink to wash my hands and they were unusually warm, so I washed them with cool water and dish soap. It wasn’t until my hands were clean that I began to feel better.

“Oh my goodness, look here Brenda, these two rocks aren’t broken.” She said calling me back to the table.

What two rocks? I thought. I emptied the box myself. There wasn’t any more rocks left in that box I was sure of it.

Walking over to the table I see the two rocks Mrs. Bailey had found.

“Wow, they are beautiful aren’t they? Do you suppose they all used to look like that?” I asked.

“Yes, they did. Most were even prettier than these are. There was even one that was a pretty purple and it sparkled even in the dark of night. Mr. Bailey would tease me and say that was how the fairies got their magic, by living inside the rock for a while. Of course, I didn’t really believe all that, but I would let him carry on his tales and silly stories. Michael would sit and listen so carefully to his Grandfather. Oh, I just can’t wait to see him Saturday. Here Brenda, you can have these two rocks as a token from Mr. Bailey. He always thought so much of you.” She smiled placing them in my hands. The warm sensation came again.

“No, I couldn’t Mrs. Bailey, you keep them please.” I said trying to place them back in her hands.

“Oh, it’s just rocks. What’s an old lady like me going to do with “wishing rocks?” She laughed.

“Well, I am excited to see Michael also Mrs. Bailey.” I said while hugging her holding the warm rocks.

“Guess we better get to the store for some new bulbs dear.” She said.

“Yes Ma’am, I suppose you are right, we can’t plant rocks can we?”

On the drive home my mind wandered to the past. I was suddenly remembering Mr. Bailey more and more. His stories were always captivating and he had a certain look in his eyes when he told them. He really didn’t care if you believed them or not, he did and that was all that mattered. I had a feeling Michael believed him also.

I slept easily, just not very restful. My dreams were filled with fairies, lights, and flowers and bounced around from one subject to the other. Kind of like I was studying for a test I wasn’t prepared for.

I woke early the next morning. It was Friday. Michael would be coming by Saturday, which made me nervous and anxious. I went to make coffee and fix something for breakfast. The rocks were on the kitchen island in a small bowl. Are they a different color than the night before? “No, couldn’t be.” I tell myself and continue with the coffee and breakfast.

I got to Mrs. Baileys around the same time and again lunch was prepared. We worked on the front flower bed after we had lunch and chatted for a bit. Pulling weeds and preparing the soil for the bulbs we purchased the afternoon before.

Mrs. Bailey went into the house and brought out the bag old, broken rocks and started spreading them onto the ground and raking them deeper into the newly turned soil.

“Mrs. Bailey, do you think that is a good idea? Won’t the rocks make it hard for the tulips to grow if there are rocks in the way?” I asked.

“I was thinking, one time Mr. Bailey told me that magic never dies, it just sometimes needs a new home and new life to help bring it back, you know kind of gives it a new purpose.” She explained.

“Okay, Mrs. Bailey, if you say so. It’s your garden, but don’t get mad at me when they don’t grow.” I said laughing.

Just then the phone inside the apartment rang.

“Brenda, can you answer that for me please by the time I get up and get to the phone the person will completely forget why they even called me.” She said.

“Of course” I said laughing at her joke.

“Hello” I said.

“Um hello, who is this?” A male’s voice was on the other end.

“This is Hazel Bailey’s residence, I am Brenda a friend of hers, she can’t come to the phone right now can I take a message.” I asked.

“Oh Brenda, um it’s Michael. Grandmother didn’t tell me you were there and why are you there?” He asked, sounding irritated.

“Hi Michael, I thought you knew but anyway I am just helping Mrs. Bailey around the house with some chores. Remember you asked me to? We are looking forward to seeing you tomorrow.” I said.

“I won’t be there long Brenda, I have work to tend to you know?” He tells me.

“No Michael, I don’t know that how would I know that?” I asked him.

“Stop being a child Brenda, and put Grandmother on the phone, I don’t have much time before my dinner meeting” He said.

“What did you call me? Geez, never mind, I’ll get Mrs. Bailey, hold on.” I said slamming the phone onto the small table.

“Mrs. Bailey, it’s Michael, he wants to talk to you.” I yelled to the front yard.

“Be right there.” She said coming into the house taking off her garden gloves.

I sat near the door to listen to the conversation.

“Hello dear… What? … No, it’s just Brenda helping me out… Of course I know… That is not nice Michael… Don’t use that tone with me young man… Fine, yes we will see you tomorrow. I will send Brenda to the airport… A taxi… I guess if you want… Well, good bye to you also…”

Mrs. Bailey was visibly upset and her hands were shaking a little. I walked over to see if the was okay.

“I’m fine, but I swear that boy still knows just which buttons to push to upset me, the little brat. I’ll give him a stern talking to tomorrow you’ll see. Just because he is on the phone he thinks…” She trailed off of her conversation.

“Let’s get something cool to drink, take a breath and rest a little, what do you say?” She said smiling.

“Now that sounds good to me.” I tell her.

After a break and some cool iced tea and cookies we get back to work on the garden. How did the dirt become so smoothed over and all the debris had been moved and was sitting in a nice, neat pile. There were no bulbs left to plant. How did Mrs. Bailey plant all the bulbs in the few minutes I was gone and talking on the phone. Oh well, at least it was done and it sure did look nice.

After helping with the dishes, carrying a load of laundry to be washed and sweeping and mopping I said good night to Mrs. Bailey and drove back home.

Again, my thoughts wandered to Mr. Bailey’s stories about magic and the fairies he claimed to have seen and how enthralled Michael was with them as well. Always paying close attention and asking so many questions.

I got home and realized I hadn’t done anything in my own house before leaving to help Mrs. Bailey with her chores. So, I got busy.

I was so tired; I looked at the rocks in the bowl and said, “How nice it would be if you really were wishing rocks?”

“See, you can’t answer me, so it must not be true.” I laughed.

At that very moment, my cell phone rang and I nearly jumped out of my skin. What perfect timing. After jumping my heart was pounding.

“Hello”, I said.

“Hi Brenda, its Michael, are you okay, you sound out of breath.” He said.

Well that didn’t calm me down at all.

“I’m fine; the phone just startled me is all. What do you want Michael?” I asked.

“I wanted to give you fair warning that I don’t have much time tomorrow so whatever you and Grandmother have planned, make it quick.” He ordered.

“I don’t know, I’m just a child remember, maybe we can play patty-cake?”

“Yes, I remember, that is why I am reminding you. And stop talking like that.”

“Awww is Michael getting mad?” I teased.

“Not funny Brenda, now you really sound like a child. Look, tomorrow, I will visit Grandmother and I guess I have no choice but to visit you also. Just make it quick will you? I have a proposal that has to be posted by six p.m. or we will lose a very big deal for a client.” He said.

“Oh a big deal for a client, you sound so grown up now don’t you Mikey?” I said.

“That’s enough Brenda. I don’t have time for this right now. See you tomorrow and stop being a smart ass, we aren’t kids anymore and sounds like you never grew up.”

He hung the phone up.

Why was I so irritated with Michael? Never grew up? Who did he think he was? He was only two years older than so it’s not like there was a big difference in our ages.

What was wrong with him? Why was he so upset that I was with his Grandmother? He was the one that asked me to check on her. I was doing a favor for him and taking care of his responsibilities and I am the child?

I was pacing back and forth by now in the kitchen talking to myself. Next thing I know I have a rock in my hand and I am rubbing it between my hands. I can feel the rock warming and a tingling sensation running into my hand and up my arms. I’m the child? We will see about that.

“Alright, so called magic rock, my wish is that tomorrow when I am alone with Michael he will think he is the one being a baby.”

My heart was still pounding and I dropped the rock to the kitchen floor, it sounded like breaking glass when it hit. My head was spinning and I was dizzy, my arms were still tingling and the warmth in my hands was still there.

I sit on the floor to keep from falling. The whole room was spinning and my thoughts were cloudy and jumbled then blackness.

I woke up the next morning on the couch with a blanket draped over me and a pillow under my head. I must have gotten them for myself but I couldn’t remember. I recalled the rock, got up and went into the kitchen knowing for sure that it was dream since I had been having strange dreams since I visited Mrs. Bailey. Walking to the island I see the small bowl holding the rocks. No, it was holding a rock. Not rocks.

Frantically I look around on the floor and I see the other rock only now it doesn’t look like it used to it looked as old and ragged as the ones we found in the pantry and it was broken into three pieces.

My heart sank, for some reason I knew the rock had died. I could feel it and the guilt washed over me.

“Don’t be silly.” I tell myself. “You can’t kill a rock.”

I knew this to be true and yet I also knew I was looking down at a dead rock. Just last night it was beautiful, colorful and full of life. I picked up the rock pieces and carefully wrapped them in a paper towel and placed them gently in the drawer.

I tried to gather my thoughts. What had happened? Was the rock really magic? Did the magic die because I made a stupid wish out of anger?

That can’t be true. That couldn’t have possible happened right?

Still confused and full of questions I make myself a cup of coffee and make some toast to settle my stomach. I had a feeling this day would only go from bad to worse.

Planning ahead I get the picnic basket with the blanket in it ready to go to Mrs. Baileys. I took the remaining rock and tuck it gently into the blanket.

Arriving at Mrs. Bailey’s apartment I had calmed down.

“Good morning Mrs. Bailey” I called coming into the door after a quick knock.

“Good morning dear. Did you sleep well?” She asked.

“I did, at least I think I did.” I answered.

“What was that, I couldn’t hear you?”

“Oh, I said yes. I did sleep well.” I repeated.

“Good to hear. I have some fried chicken, potato salad, deviled eggs and a Bundt cake, chocolate, of course; Michaels favorite. He should be here in about fifteen minutes, and then we can go.” She said.

“Okay, sounds good. I brought lemon-aid and I found this picnic basket, we can pack everything in here, it should be big enough.” I said, lifting the basket for her to see.

We packed all the food and drinks up and got ready to go to the river for a picnic, just like we used to years ago when we were younger.

I started to get excited to see Michael again. We had become a little distant but he still was my best friend in the whole world. I am sure he is just going through something in life right now and it’s taking a toll on him. I know his job is hard and demanding, traveling all the time. I decided I would try to be nicer to him when he arrived.

Just as Mrs. Bailey said the taxi arrived about fifteen minutes later.

Her face beams when she sees Michael step out of the back door. He looks and waves at her. We both are waving back at him. He sees me and stops waving and goes to the open trunk to get his bags. Carrying the bags he walks up the sidewalk.

He looks much like I thought he would. He was always a handsome looking fellow. His strawberry blonde hair was still the same subtle red it has always been. He is tall and takes long strides up the pathway. His suit and shoes look expensive and he looks tired.

Sitting the bags down, he goes over to Mrs. Bailey.

“Hello Grandmother, it’s wonderful to see you. You look lovely as always.” He kisses her cheek. They walk into the apartment together with their arms around each other.

“Oh it’s so good to see you too Michael, so nice if you to greet me also. I am just fine thank you…” I mumbled sarcastically to myself rolling my eyes.

“Smells like someone made fried chicken and chocolate cake, my favorites.” He teases Mrs. Bailey. To which she beams again.

“I made lemon-aid.” I added. No reply.

“Grandmother, are you ready to go. I don’t have much time.” He said.

“Yes, I am but Michael please do not rush me. I haven’t seen you in quite a while I would like to enjoy the day with you. And I would like to add I do not appreciate the way you spoke to me on the phone yesterday.”

“I know Grandmother but that doesn’t give me more time today to spend with you. I am sorry, it will not happen again” He kisses her forehead.

“Then, let’s go already.”

“Yes, lets.”

We drove to the lake with all the picnic supplies in my car. It was a lovely autumn day. The sun was warm and the breeze was cool, perfect for a day outside.

I was helping Mrs. Bailey get out of the car and to the picnic area. Michael walked past us with the basket. The ground was a little uneven so by the time I got to Michael he had everything set up.

The food looked and smelled wonderful. It also tasted just as it did when I was a kid, bringing back wonderful memories of all the times we came to the lake together.

“Michael remember when we came here as kids, how much fun we had?” I asked him.

“I do yes… we were kids.” He replied, coldly.

Why was he treating me like this? I know we aren’t kids any more but would it hurt to recall the fun times.

“Over there is where your Grandfather claims to have seen his fairies.” Grandmother said with a laugh pointing to the edge of the forest.

“Yes, I know Grandmother, he told me a million times.” He remembered with a smile. “And over there is where Grandfather found a magic stone, and over there is where he claims to have seen glowing flowers, and over there is where he….” He trailed off topic, “This food is amazing Grandmother, thank you for making it.”

“I made the lemon-aid.” I added. He acknowledged with a glance.

We chatted and enjoyed the beautiful lake and forest. The food and even the lemon-aid were perfect. Early afternoon was approaching and Mrs. Bailey was starting to look tired even though I knew she could stay there for hours more I knew she needed rest and wouldn’t dare mention it to us so I suggested we gather things up and head back to the house so she could get a nap.

I escorted Mrs. Bailey to the car and went back to give Michael a hand cleaning up and packing our belongings.

The rock! I went into panic mode. I forgot the rock was tucked into the blanket. How could I forget that? I had to find it, and quickly.

Frantically I get to the picnic spot and start tossing the blanket around. Everything that was on the blanket was already in the basket. Shaking the blanket around I couldn’t really ask Michael where the magic rock went. Surely he would think I was crazy. I pulled the blanket up, I pulled it down, I flipped it over and over. Finally, I got on my hands and knees and started looking around in the grass raking my fingers through it.

“What the hell are you doing?” Michael asks, towering over me.

“I um, lost my ring. Did you see anything funny lying around here?” I asked.

“Did I see a ring or did I see something funny? How the hell does that make sense Brenda?”

“Why are you being like this Michael? Why are you treating me like this? Are you mad at me or something?”

“No, Brenda I am not. Why do you insist on pretending we are still kids? Grow up. I had to, so do you. Let’s go, Grandmother is waiting.” And then he walked away with the blanket and the basket.

I glanced around one more time. Not only did I not see the magic rock I didn’t see a rock at all.

We got back to Mrs. Bailey’s and I help her get settled down for a nap only after promising not to let Michael leave without telling her.

“Is Grandmother sleeping?” He asked.

“She is, yes. Now we can talk.”

“Talk about what Brenda?”

“About why you are acting so strange and won’t talk about the past.”

“Look, we aren’t kids any more. I have a lot of responsibilities with work and taking care of all of Grandmothers needs, even though Grandfather made sure of most of that many years ago. Even if she didn’t believe him, he did.”

I was hearing him but his voice was fading in and out. The room started to spin around, I was looking at Michael but it wasn’t Michael anymore and we weren’t in Mrs. Bailey’s living room.

We were in a nursery. It was a baby boy’s nursery. The walls had powder blue striped wallpaper; there was a changing table with diapers, baby powder, and little folded cotton shirts. There was a container of baby wipes and diaper rash ointment. Cute forest animals were on the wall in the corner in front of a rocking chair with a soft, fluffy blue cushion.

The room was spinning slower now and things were becoming clear. It really was a nursery. A fully decked out, loaded baby boy’s nursery.

I looked around some more; I could smell baby powder and hear soft music playing. Looking into the crib I see a baby boy. A cute, chubby little red headed baby was sitting there.

Oh my God, it was Michael! I would know that face anywhere. He kind of looked confused, angry and very helpless. On the table is a pendant on a long golden chain. No, that isn’t a pendant. It’s a shiny magic, glowing rock.

It all comes clear to me. The wish, it was real!! Michael is a baby!

Suddenly I remembered how he had treated me and revenge was on my mind.

“Well, well what have we here? Mikey is that you?” I look at his face and see his frustration.

“Look at you trying to talk and no real words are coming out, all you are saying is goo and making sounds. Want to call me a little kid now?”

Michael was confused and frustrated. The more he tried to talk the worse it became. He could feel the diaper against his bottom and front. He wanted to lash out at Brenda but couldn’t because he was so helpless. All he wanted her to do was to pick him up and cuddle him, rock him in the chair and nurse him. The more she looked at him the more he noticed himself becoming aroused and embarrassed looking at her breasts. He was hungry.

I picked him up and cradled him in my arms. He was so small, I ran my hands through his hair, he turned his face to try and suck my breasts through the t-shirt I was wearing. Looking down at this little face I tease him saying, “Is little Mikey hungry? I tell you what, I will make a deal with you. I will let you eat, but you have to promise to never call me a kid or a baby ever again, okay?”

Michael shakes his head at me as I lift my t-shirt to allow him access to my ample breasts, he latches onto my nipple and I rock him in the chair.

“Oh no, little Mikey needs a new diaper now.” I say walking over to the changing table. I pull the diaper off his bottom, wipe him down and apply some baby powder on him and rub it in. Fastening the new diaper and placing a clean tiny shirt on him I notice the room begins to spin again and my thoughts get cloudy and confused. I watch Michael grow up right before my eyes, bigger and bigger with each second until he is a man again. After a minute or two, we are back in Mrs. Bailey’s living room.

I stop and stare at Michael. He’s angry, confused, embarrassed and a little aroused.

My first thought was to run. But I couldn’t. I didn’t really understand what had happened. Not fully. It was too much to believe. I had a wish and this is what I do with it, really?

“What the hell did you do Brenda?” Michael yelled at me.

“It wasn’t my fault. Well, it was my fault but who knew it would work? It seemed ridiculous so I never imagined.” I tried to explain.

“You messed with Grandfathers rocks didn’t you?”

“Well, yes, but who knew…”

“I knew! I knew Brenda.” He was still yelling.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t believe it would work, I’m sorry.” I said backing away from him.

“You’re sorry? Well, not as sorry as you are going to be!” He was pulling something out of his pocket. It was my other rock!

“Is this what you were looking for after the picnic, huh Brenda?” He was stepping towards me now.

“No, I was looking for a ring.” I lied. He knew.

He looked me in the eyes and started smiling. I was done for I was sure of it. He was going to use the other magic rock on me.

“Are you nervous Brenda?” He asked.

“No, I am not.” I lied. He knew.

“Well,” he started to say walking closer to me, “You should be.”

The room started spinning again. I was so dizzy and confused. And why was the nursery pink now? Why was Michael so big and what the hell and I wearing? Turnabout is fair play as they say. Michael rocked in the chair and fed me a bottle. Michael patted me on my back gently until I burped. Why and I wet? Oh no. Michael took off my diaper but before putting on a new one, and powdering me turned me over his knee and spanked me several times until my bottom was red. Crying and mad he said to me.

“There, there little Brenda, you should have realized a long, long time ago that Grandfather was a Wizard, and so am I so the next time you get any ideas in that pretty little head of yours just remember, I have new stones growing in the flower bed for you in the future. He pinched my cheek and started laughing.”

“Listen here Michael… Goo… oh no. Goo. No, not now. Goo. Goo…Goo.”

The room started spinning.

When things became clear, we were in the living room again. Michael was sitting in the chair across from me with his arms crossed.

“Oh that was very funny.”

“What? You started it!” he shot back.

“You’re a Wizard, really?”

“I am and don’t you forget it.” He smiled.

“Friends?” he extends his hand to mine.

“Friends.”

We shake and go our separate ways.

*** Eight months later ***

“Hello Mrs. Bailey… How are you? … Michael? He is great, thanks for asking? … Dinner on Monday… Sure, I’d love too… I’ll bring dessert and also I have some lovely tulips, I will bring them over… Yes… yes… see you then… bye-bye.”

I walked over to the Kitchen Island and looked in the bowl. I need a bigger bowl now. Turns out Mr. Bailey was right. The magic rocks just needed a bit of love and care, a new purpose to rejuvenate.

Walking out the kitchen and turning down the hallway. The last room on the right. I peeked in and there he was. Michael. 6 months old and sitting in his crib. Left in his birthday suit, adding to his humiliation and punishment for using magic on me. “Hey there baby boy.” I chuckled as he turned at me. His eyes red from crying. “Oh don’t be sad baby. You’ll be all happy and accepting soon enough. I know it’s unfair but you shouldn’t of threatened mummy. Was abit silly telling me you grew the rocks, wasn’t it? It really didn’t take long to figure out how to do it. And a wizard isn’t really a threat when he’s too young to talk let alone cast a spell or hold tightly onto something, Never you mind. Why don’t you watch this pretty pendent and forget about your worries”

Holding up the magical hypnotic pendent I created with a rock I smiled wickedly as he soon went into a full baby like trance.

The End?

 

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