The Change of the Seasons: The Long Sweat

Chapter 14
All Endings are Just Beginnings

Chapter Description: The long sweat of summer reaches its end. Jonathan and James Medlock reflect on their new lives and the new lives of their friends and family.

[size=2]The last barbeque of the summer had been a success. The kids had all eaten up more than their fair share of hotdogs and hamburgers and were now playing in the creek that ran through the Longview family’s wooded backyard. Mr. Jonathan Medlock could see the youthful chaos as he worked to clean up the grill cooling in front of him. The man couldn’t help but find some amusement in the fact that technically, the youngest person of the two families was left to clean up the mess left by the children; though that might simply be the bourbon laced lemonade that he was sipping on talking. As he was scrapping off the last of the grill, he noticed a little boy with delightful black hair on the back porch studying his work with an eager intensity. Jonathan instantly recognized the emotions racing through the poor boy’s face; he put the scrapper away and went to talk to the envious child.

“How’s it going Scott?” he asked the former patriarch of the Longview family as he rubbed down the little boy’s hair.

“I’m good Mr. Medlock.” Scott replied with an adorable high pitched voice, “I just wish my mommy would let me use the grill.”

Scott’s earnestness brought a smile to Jonathan’s face, “She only has your utmost safety in mind Scott. You’re a bit too short now to properly work the backburners on your own.”

“I know.” the young boy whined, “It just sucks.”

I can only imagine, Jonathan thought, the poor little guy just wants to hold onto something from his adulthood.

“Tell you what,” Jonathan said to him, “James is usually my grilling assistant at our house. If you come over for a sleepover someday you can help me cook up some steaks for dinner. Would you be up for that?”

“That’s awesome Mr. Medlock! That would be so cool!” Scott exclaimed.

Jonathan laughed at that before taking a sip of his strong lemonade. “So,” he said attempting to change the subject, “I heard you got Ms. Yong as your teacher this year.”

“Yeah she seems nice.” Scott responded, “I’m just nervous about going back to school.”

Jonathan couldn’t blame the kid; the man entering his forties just a few weeks ago was now entering the 4th grade. The well-mannered man turned boy likely felt incredibly intimidated by the inevitability of interacting with his new peer group.

“Did your mom tell you that I had Ms. Yong last year?” he asked.

“Woah, I didn’t know that.” He said. “What is she really like?”

Ms. Kimberly Yong had been on Jonathan’s mind of late. When he had brought James into Edwardson Elementary School last week for orientation day, the two guys had stumbled into Jonathan’s 4th grade teacher. The news of their age swap along with all the other transformations between the Medlock and Longview families had spread throughout the town of New Springs like wildfire. Her reaction at seeing them, especially the grown up Jonathan in particularly, was frankly adorable to him now that he was very close in age to her. The conversation between them had been just as enjoyably awkward as both James and himself imagined it would be.

Taking a moment to really contemplate little Scott’s question he finally answered, “She has a tough love act with kids, though I wasn’t a good kid like you are. I think you’re going to be a favorite of hers. Just don’t be a teacher’s pet and you’ll make a lot of new friends in her class too.”

“Ok.” Scott said taking the lesson to heart.

“I think you’re really going to enjoy elementary school again Scott.” said a luxuriously feminine voice coming out onto the back porch.

Ms. Sarah Longview was a true chimera of a woman. The pale skin teenager had been transformed into an incredibly gorgeous woman. One that seemed to convey the many contradicting lifestyles of womanhood into an impossibly cohesive whole: A sinful clubber, a passionate soccer mom, and a driven businesswoman all packaged into an absolutely beautiful lady that continuously made his cock rock solid. The 29 year old woman was dressed in a simple a blue and white summer dress this evening but she nevertheless wore it like the business suit he was growing increasingly accustomed to seeing her fill in at work.

And my god does she fill it in, he thought I just can’t get enough of her.

Sarah placed the wine bottle she was carrying along with the two wine glasses on the metal table at the center of the back porch and knelt by her son’s side. “Why is my little boy wasting his second childhood gawking at big boy toys?” she asked sweetly though by all means reminding young Scott of his new role in the family.

“I just want to help you cook mommy.” he said honestly. “Mr. Medlock said I could help him cook steaks when I sleepover at his house with James.”

“Well that was very nice of him.” Sarah said while giving Jonathan a playful wink. “But I don’t want you touching dangerous things like a grill without my presence or that of Mr. Medlock’s. Is that clear?”

“Yes mommy.” Scott relented.

“That’s good to hear.” Sarah proclaimed and gave her former father a sweetly sickening smooch on the young boy’s face. “Go on now and play with your little sister!” Sarah ordered while playfully swatting the boy’s butt.

As Scott ran off to join his former wife in childish play, Sarah went back and poured out the wine she had brought out into the two glasses. As natural as this all felt to him, Jonathan still had the self-awareness to recognize that a literal 10 year old boy and 15 year old girl were about to have an “adult talk” over wine as their parents and older siblings innocently enjoyed their last few days of summer vacation.

Seth had been right about drinking the water bottles. It had been just less than a month since Jon and Sarah had undergone their transformations into adulthood. For Jonathan, the transformation hadn’t physically changed all that much about him. His body was already mostly grown at 20 years old but he gained a handful more years which rounded off his masculine features. He looked more like a college graduate than an actual college student; he could also legally buy alcohol on his own now which was very convenient as he finished off the last of his bourbon mixed lemonade. But he was mostly just thankful that the mental transformation hadn’t turned him into a parent. He gained knowledge and more maturity but he now knew Jennifer, James, and Jacob as younger siblings rather than his own children. The New Springs Authority had granted him the right to be their legal guardian and while he essentially was their new father, Jonathan was just happy he didn’t have to be called dad. Much like Seth had promised him, the organization quickly offered Jonathan an expedited internship with wondrous pay and benefits. At its conclusion he would be an Enforcer for the New Springs Authority, just like his dad had been though without being blacklisted within the organization.

Sarah’s transformation was drastic by comparison. The girls born into the Longview family apparently have some sort of biological tradition of blossoming into jaw-dropping attractive women late into their adolescence, after anguishing through long childhoods of having boyish and gangly bodies. Sarah of course was no exception to that rule. Her short gothic hair had been replaced by a short mom-friendly haircut that he found endearingly sexy. Sarah’s womanly features were highlighted all over her body. Ample breasts from which he had played with on more than one occasion during their cathartic sex sessions and a perfect sized ass from which he had fucked more times than he was willing to admit. But perhaps it was her facial features that blew him away the most. Since his early childhood, Jonathan had always gazed up in respect towards his elder playmate. She always had a kind face as a kid but also a determined one. In her adulthood, Sarah’s face, unobstructed by her dark makeup, looked like the face of a goddess to him and he was madly in love with her.

Sarah’s machinations as a teenage girl had caused quite a stir within the New Springs Authority. The Founder’s Council was more than just intimated by how easily Sarah had not only uncovered the mysteries behind New Springs but also in how she was able to manipulate the magical water itself. Seth and Jonathan’s testimonies were declared bias by the Founder’s Council but luckily Sarah had some unexpected help from family. Sarah’s own aunt, a long standing member of the Assembly of the First Generation caused a major uproar over the possibility of her niece’s punishment by the Founder Council’s and successfully argued for Sarah’s induction into the organization as her eventual replacement on the Assembly. When she was finally enrolled and given the job of Overseer, Sarah’s aunt, seeing the ambitious woman her niece had become, even suggested to Sarah that she should use her age altering water on her own parents. Scott and Stacy Longview had understandably overreacted when they discovered that they’re youngest teenage daughter had randomly aged up overnight and tried to lock down her adult ambitions. The former was now a 9 year old boy while the latter was a cute little 7 year old girl who was now preparing to enter the 2nd grade for the second time in her 40’s years of life.

Sarah handed Jonathan a glass of wine. The intoxicating liquid was very light in color and gave off a nice aroma, “Cheers! To the miracles of parenthood!” she toasted.

“To the miracles of family.” he replied.

The couple clinked and drank the wine in unison. As a little boy, not even a full year ago now, Jonny had asked his mom if he could try the red wine she was accustomed to drinking before his bedtime. Jennifer had given him the warmest of smiles after he had barely gulped down the small amount she had given him. In a bittersweet realization, Jonathan knew he wouldn’t see that gentle woman’s face again until many, many years into Jenny’s future. The wine he had just tasted was much more refreshing than the red wine he tasted as a boy. It flowed easily down his throat and rewarded his full grown taste buds while doing so. Jonathan had only started drinking alcohol for a few weeks now but he could nonetheless tell that something was off about the wine.

“Who drinks watered down wine?” he asked his lover after considering it for a bit.

“The ancient Greeks did for one.” she said half-mocking him, “They would spend their days endlessly talking, debating, and fucking one another while downing unimaginable amounts of the stuff.”

“Ok Sarah-bear.” he said while rubbing his shoulder against her, “What hard drinking American is even going to bother finishing a single glass of your top secret age changing water if you can’t even efficiently hid the taste of it in the wine.”

“It’s a work in progress Jonathan. My project has only just been approved by the Council and the Assembly; I’m still just hoping we can go into limited testing inside and outside the valley soon. Either way, it’s going to take a while to work out the kinks in my formula but I think we can eventually disguise the New Springs water with some artificial flavoring.”

“I’m sure the wine enthusiasts and connoisseurs are just going to give your wine the best reviews.” he jokingly critiqued her.

“The snobbish brats are welcome to say anything they want about my wine. Of course, I doubt anyone will take their reviews seriously until they’re all grown up again.” she said chuckling at the thought. “Hopefully by then they’ll gain a better appreciation of the necessary use of natural and artificial flavoring in a globalized society.”

“Joking aside, that’s still a bit harsh Sarah.” he told plainly.

“I want to change the world Jonathan. I want to create a utopia where the elderly and the dying need not fear death’s door. Where youth is not a privilege wasted on the young. Where the most competent people, no matter their age, are raised in their status and given the authority they deserve to have over others that would otherwise squander their adulthood on fervorless things. That is the world New Springs will create for humanity. Where the sources of all conflict will cease to exist and everyone is content with their role in the family. Their love for one another will transcend objectively obsolete ideas like birthparents and the year one was born. That is the world we are creating right now together with Seth.” she said.

Jonathan had gotten used to these kinds of rants by now, but he still worried for Sarah. He personally didn’t think this kind of talk would end well for her. If not by the will of New Springs itself or the Authority that operated in concert with it then by her fellow conspirators. Seth had also ranted to Jonathan of late of the dream world he had shared alongside Jonathan’s former father. A world where ageism would cease to exist entirely because everyone would be the same age, once everyone was equal in age than the other inequalities that existed between them could finally be undone as well. In this new egalitarian society, humans would all be in the prime years of their adulthood. Seth’s dream, like Jacob’s dream and that of his grandfather, ultimately agreed that there would be casualties in the fulfillment of this dream, namely the modern idea of the family.

For the moment Sarah, Seth, and Jonathan had been allies in reforming the New Springs Authority. But he wasn’t sure how long that would last. Jonathan was just content with reforming the New Springs Authority; he still ultimately believed that it should be a reactionary organization in principal, it just needed to update its image with the 21st century. He didn’t want to act against either Seth or Sarah but if it was to protect his family….He took an unhappy sip of his wine.

“It’s also sadly why we have to end our relationship.” Sarah concluded.

“What? What’s gotten into you?” Jonathan asked miserably.

“Jonny, the sex has been amazing; beyond amazing really. I can’t tell you how much you’ve helped my self-esteem. I owe you greatly for that. But everything that my dream calls for, the time and dedication needed to achieve it, just can’t handle a serious romance. Not to mention raising our little ones. There just isn’t enough time for our love.” she said.

“But we could do it together,” he offered. “We can get marry and join our families as one.”

“It’s a nice thought my love. But I can barely handle re-raising three former adults, and that’s with my aunt’s help. Caring for six of them? That simply isn’t compatible with my plans. I have to choose my family over you, I’m sorry.” she said.

“I can’t believe you’re doing this at a family barbeque.” he said.

“You’re still my close friend Jonathan, I’m not rejecting that. I’ll still be there for you when I’m able to.” she responded.

“You’re just trying to be realistic. I get it.” Jonathan finally let her go. This wasn’t first time his reality had been shattered like this after all. As much as he was attracted to her, he knew it wasn’t worth getting worked up over.

“Maybe one day we’ll be closer.” Sarah said while eyeing the two preteens currently swinging hand in hand together on the Longview’s swing set. “I’m a little bias towards Sammy’s happiness naturally.”

“Naturally.” he said.

He too realized the weight of responsibility on his shoulders. From the playful hell-raising toddler to the young teenage girl with budding breasts that was constantly taxing his patience. He had a lot to do in order to raise his former parents into better adults. Eyeing the preteen boy on the swings though, Jonathan knew he wasn’t worried about James. His original brother seemed a lot more grown up now as a 5th grade bound 10 year old than the college student Jonathan had looked up to mere months ago.

“Ambrosia.” Sarah finally said, “The drink of the Greek Gods that granted them eternal youth and longevity. I think that’s what I’ll call this life wine.”

“It’s as good a name as there ever will be.” he said.

“But unlike the Olympians, we will not keep it selfishly to ourselves.” she said, “We’ll spread the gift of New Springs to every corner of the world. Soon, every man, woman, and child will drink from its never-ending well and be changed forever anew.”

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“Mrs. Baxter is my favorite teacher of all time,” raved the happy 11 year old girl as she used her feet to kick herself further in the air on the swing, “It’s so awesome that you finally have to chance to be in her class!”

James couldn’t agree more with Sammy. Mrs. Baxter had long been one of the most popular teachers at Edwardson Elementary School. James hadn’t been lucky enough to be in her class the first time around, but the preteen boy was happy that he got to be in her class in his second time through childhood.

“It should be a fun year.” he said.

“I’d say so; especially now that I’m older than you.” Sammy teased not unkindly.

“You’ll die before me now too.” he taunted.

“Not true!” Sammy said defiantly while flipping her ponytail, “girls live longer than boys!”

Despite the role reversal in their ages, the two preteens bantered with each other as if nothing had ever changed in their lives; even if the two had been legal adults at the start of the summer. Sammy was as sweet a girl as she ever had been and James was comfortable with the 6th grade girl being in charge of their relationship. So long as she didn’t tease him too much for not being in middle school with her. The two former adults had some foresight this time around in childhood that the age difference between them now (Sammy’s 12th birthday was only a couple of months away) wouldn’t be all that big a deal by the end of high school. Sammy was still clearly a late-boomer, but now James wouldn’t totally eclipse her as they grew up together again.

James and Sammy’s personal time was cut off as the rest of the kids migrated towards the preteens. Scott Longview came to a stop right before James, just out of the range of his swinging feet.

“James! My mom said I could have a sleepover at your place soon.” the 9 year old boy said.

“That’s cool! I can introduce you to some of my friends.” he offered. Scott seemed a natural fit for playing with Connor and Cody Rainer.

Stacy Longview came to a stop next to her older brother, “No fair! Why do you get a sleepover and I don’t!”

Sammy was quick to come to her little sister’s aid, “We basically have a sleepover every night Stacy. And after you meet new friends at school you can go sleep over at their houses too.”

This seemed to satisfy the little black hair girl with pigtails. Stacy was a very cute little girl; she was like a clone of Sarah when she was 7 years old. Her blue and white sundress was an exact match of her former daughter/current mother’s sundress. If Sammy wasn’t already his girlfriend, he likely would have told little Stacy that she was very pretty.

As much as James liked the regressed Longview parents, it was just that. Stacy and Scott had sort of been an aunt and uncle for him during the divorce and it still felt weird for him that they were younger than he was now. Sammy had confessed similar feelings on the matter in private as well. Only a few short days after the incident on the beach, Sammy woke up to find her parents drinking the very same water bottles that had regressed her into a preteen girl. Scott and Stacy turned into elementary school age children and Sarah and their aunt were there to embrace them once their regressions were over. When Sammy asked her sister why she tricked her parents into drinking the water, Sarah simply told Sammy that she should be happy that their former parents were getting a whole new lease on life just like Sammy was. It was still awkward and strange for the preteens however, as little Scott and Stacy still remembered and talked about the fact that they used to be grownups. James looked up at the Longview family’s new mother and Sarah gave the 10 year old boy a knowing smile.

As they were talking, James noticed that his former mother Jennifer was slowly making her way over to them as well. Jenny, as she liked to go by now, was guiding his former father Jacob as he clumsily toddled his way towards the swing set. Out of all the transformations that occurred between the two families, the regression of his mom into a 14 year old girl hit James the hardest. Jenny still struggled to reconcile her new role as the teenaged sister to both him and Jonathan, despite giving birth to both boys. The commanding and short tempered woman had been reduced to a bossy and moody teen. His former mother was just as prone to verbally pound on him these days for not listening to her just as she was to cuddle with him for no particular reason. On the best days they were the closest of friends and on the worst days Jonathan had to get involved. Despite how strange it all felt to James, he had to at least admit that not much had changed in their interactions of their relationship from mother and son to brother and sister.

“I see that the dorky lovebirds don’t want to hang with the rest of us.” Jenny said as she picked up Jacob and held him at her waist.

“We just wanted to chill out here Jenny.” he told his former mom.

“Uh huh.” she replied. “Well Scott and Stacy are getting bored and I thought we could play…”

“Kids! It’s getting late! Time to come in!” yelled Sarah to the gathered group of regressed adults.

“She’s right guys!” Jonathon yelled to his own kids, “We should get back home.”

“Never mind.” said Jenny looking slightly relieved that her babysitting duties were basically done for the night.

James and Jenny, with Jacob in his sister’s arms, followed Jonathan to the family car. Just as the Medlock kids were about to enter the car and leave, James felt a tug on his shoulder. He turned to see Sammy standing there just behind him.

“To our new start.” she said and kissed him on the lips before turning and running into the Longview house. James felt butterflies in his stomach for the first time in too many years. James had yet another reason in looking forward to that smartphone Jonathan had promised to get for him.

The snickering from Jenny reminded the preadolescent boy to join the rest of his family in the car. The journey back home was dominated by Jenny’s sad attempt to guilt trip Jonathan into letting her go a supposed teenage gathering at a bonfire.

“I’m going to be a freshman in high school Jonathan! I need new friends that aren’t children or adults!!! How am I supposed to meet teenagers if you won’t let me go to this?” she said in vain.

“You’ll meet teenagers your age once you’re in high school Jennifer,” Jonathan reasoned, “I don’t need you trying to hook up with seniors and making a bad reputation for yourself before you even start your high school career.”

“Clarissa said I should go!” Jenny said.

“Mrs. Rainer hires you as a babysitter for Connor and Cody. She isn’t your mother and it’s unhealthy to treat her like she’s a close friend.” Jonathan said.

“But she is my friend!” Jenny yelled.

“Look Jenny.” his brother started, “I’m really happy that so many of your adult friends keep in touch with you, but there’s a hard limit on what’s appropriate for a girl your age. The shopping spree she took you on for new clothes was wonderful for both of us but…”

“But what?!” she interrupted. “If you want me to adjust to being a teenager than you’re going to have to let me act like a teenager for once. I don’t complain about you being an adult when you flirt with Clarissa behind her husband’s back!”

“Enough!” Jonathan stammered. “You’re not going to the bonfire and that’s final.”

“Oh come on!” she yelled.

“But,” he relented, “I can drive you to mall tomorrow and give you some cash. Will that satisfy your ego?”

Jenny sulked in the front seat, “I guess so.” taking her big brother’s compromise.

When they finally got home, Jonathan gathered the family together for a movie night. James (with the help of Jacob) managed to get Jonathan to play the new Avengers movie. His sister initially started to complain about the choice, until she suddenly became strangely enamored by the male superheroes fighting on screen. Jacob sat on James’ lap; the toddler was also mesmerized by the movie though for much simpler reasons. James’ new relationship with his former father was perhaps the most unexpected of everything that had changed. Before this long summer, James never would have imagined being reunited with his dad in any meaningful way. The man had burned too many bridges for that. The baby boy in his lap now was quite another story though. James and Jacob shared a room now, and the two young boys would grow up together now rather than decades a part. Jenny too seemed to realize this as well, for she had adopted a very nurturing stance towards her ex-husband. The drama that ruined their old lives as adults was replaced now by a simple love only an older sister could have for her baby brother.

By the movie’s credits, James was beginning to fall asleep. Jenny picked up the sleeping Jacob while James felt himself being lifted up by an all too familiar set of arms, “Tuckered out big guy?” his big brother asked him softly.

“Yeah.” he answered simply.

Jonathan carried him his room where Jacob was already being tucked in by Jenny. The teenager kissed the toddler and then approached the two brothers, “Goodnight guys.” she said

“Goodnight.” James said to her as she was walking out the door.

Jenny quietly turned back and kissed the 10 year old boy on the forehead and then kissed Jonathan on the cheek, “Love you.” she said to both of them and left for her own room.

Jonathan proceeded to lower James into the bed and tuck him in as well. “Do you still think she’s angry that I took the master bedroom from her?” Jonathan asked him.

“Probably Jon.” the young boy answered.

“What strange days we live in James and I think they’re only going to get stranger. I still don’t know how I’m going to explain all of our transformations to our grandparents.” Jonathan said, “Sometimes I just think I’m going to wake up in this room at any moment and I’ll find you nursing a hangover in your old room.”

“I barely remember drinking, but I know for sure that hangovers were never fun. I rather things just stay this way.” James said.

“I think mom and dad would say otherwise if they were fully themselves. But, I think we can make this work. You and mom going to school again, dad’s in daycare, and I’m a career man. We’re going to have some weird conversations once you kids grow up again.” he smiled.

James yawned, sleep was overtaking the boy. “You’re doing better than I would have Jon. I just want a smartphone before school starts so I can talk to Sammy.”

His brother laughed at that, "Sure thing big guy. You just have to sign up for the swim team like we agreed.” He learned down and kissed him goodnight. James watched Jonathan go to the door before he stopped suddenly, “Never forget that you led the way for me James. I couldn’t have been here without you. I love you.”

“I love you too” James said.

Jonathan shut the door, leaving the boys nightlight as the only source of illumination in the room. James turned to his side towards his new baby brother. Jonathan had told both him and Jenny in length about his confrontation with Jacob. Jacob now sucked on a pacifier that had once belonged to all three Medlock boys at some point. It had happened in a topsy-turvy way, but James got the opportunity to be a big brother again. He was honestly excited about watching his own dad grow up again. Unlike with Jonathan, he was going to try and be there for Jacob as much as possible.

Considering his own big brother’s words, James closed his eyed and let sleep take him. James dreamed of his wastefully spent adulthood. Drinking with friends he had barely respected along various houses up a road in an old college town. Meeting a girl who looked a goddess and doing grownup things with her. In the end, these were all just the fantasies of a 10 year old boy who only had a basic knowledge of what college life was like. In truth, the preteen boy was just eager for all the opportunities that awaited him in the coming years of his life. James Medlock’s true adulthood had yet to arrive.

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The long sweat of summer is at last over.

A man, irresponsible and unsure of his true potential, was humbled into a young boy and found that his future was not set in stone.

A boy, distant and arrogant, was elevated into manhood and learned that he was beloved by his family after all.

Such are the Change of the Seasons. We know of their coming and yet we are always changed in their wake. The story of James and Jonathan Medlock, as well as their friends and family is mostly over with. Those changed by the will of New Springs now face the everyday realities that their new ages have given them. But with each passing season comes a new one to take its place. And the lives of those around them in the quiet middle-class town of New Springs, both known and unknown to them, will be changed forever anew by the power of New Springs.

The Change of the Seasons will return in: Teacher’s Pet[/size]