Wizardry 52
One
It was late - or rather early, depending on one's point of view - when Mandy and I returned to the apartment we shared.
"That was some party, Becky."
"Wally's parties are always the very best." Although I quickly dismissed the errant thought, that part of my mind still Dick was surprised I'd known anything about Wally's parties.
"I'm glad we went."
"So am I. I've always had so much fun going to Wally's parties," I smiled back. Only at that moment did the Dick me know just how often the Becky me had been invited to, been at, one of Wally's parties.
Not that I could ever tell Mandy, I'd also gained more memories of my life as Becky. I was a popular girl... far more popular than I'd ever imagined. I'd known everyone there and everyone had known me. The only thing that would have made the night better was Mandy being my date. But that could never be; the past where she and I had dated had never been. In this altered reality, we were both girls and we both had boyfriends. At the same time, I still remembered how that weaselly wizard bastard Herbie had enspelled me into liking boys.
"You didn't have to leave the party, just because I did," said Mandy. "Wally seemed so disappointed when you told him we were leaving." She smiled at me as if I was her girl friend. "Just how many times must I tell you, girl, that disappointing hot hunky studs is never a good idea."
"If that's true, why weren't you following your own advice?" I shot back at her. "Sam didn't seem too thrilled about us leaving either. I kinda doubt his disappointment had anything to do with me leaving."
"Sam Preston's a nice guy, I suppose." A smile spread slowly across Mandy's face. "But it's way too early; I'm not ready."
"What the hell are you talking about?"
"Finding a new boyfriend, silly. Herbie and I just broke up; remember?" replied Mandy. "The poor boy doesn't even know we've broken up yet. I suppose I should call him."
"The poor boy? Herbie? I can't believe you're worried about Herbie." I stood there slowly shaking my head. Given what that asshole had done to me, hurting Herbie's feeling was something I'd never worry about doing. "Aren't you the one always telling me to get back on the horse when I fall off?"
"Yeah, I suppose, I am. But the time isn't right." Mandy frowned. "You know how weird Herbie gets at times. I wish I knew what it was, but there's something about Herbie that's always worried me."
Tell me about it, I thought. If only I could tell Mandy what I know about that bastard. "He's an asshole; everyone knows it."
"Tell me something I don't already know. But it's something more than that, Becky." Mandy sounded worried. "I just can't explain it."
"We should have stayed at the party."
"I know; I wish we had," agreed Mandy. "I was having so much fun, especially since Herbie wasn't around to mess things up." That thought made her smile, but then suddenly her expression changed. "I'm so sorry, Becky. You didn't have to leave the party just because I did."
"Of course I did, Mandy," I replied calmly. "Did you take your keys?" Mandy shook her head. "I didn't think so. Unless you wanted to ask our lech landlord to let you in, I had to come home with you." I still remembered what had happened to her in that now vanished reality.
"I didn't think about that. I would have hated asking Mr. Lawson to open our door. He would have wanted something in return. I hate how he's always leering at us. You saved me a lot of grief, Becky." Mandy smiled at me again. "Thanks!"
"Don't mention it. What are friends for?"
Abruptly, quite unexpectedly, Mandy slipped her arms around me and pulled me tightly to her. Less than a heartbeat passed before Mandy planted a big juicy wet one squarely on my lips. Was I ever surprised or what?
Very little time passed before I began responding in kind. I couldn't help myself; nor did I want to. Our kiss swiftly, fervently deepened, inflamed by our growing passions. Being with Mandy this way again was something I'd never imagined possible.
Several minutes later, Mandy reluctantly pushed me away. She seemed confused. "I don't know what just came over me," she stammered, her face a bright beet red. "I've never kissed another girl like that before in my life. But there was something about kissing you just felt so right."
"I know what you mean, Mandy." I'd all but given up hope of ever kissing Mandy again. I hoped Mandy would kiss me again. Despite my having been turned into a girl, nothing seemed to have changed between us after all. Odder still, Mandy's kiss had seemed better, more exciting, than ever.
"I don't think we should be doing this, Becky." Mandy slowly shook her head back and forth. "But I liked it... I liked it lot. Kissing you definitely felt a helluva lot better than kissing Herbie." Mandy took a deep breath, then slowly exhaled. "Why would anyone want to kiss Herbie?" She took another deep breath. "I need some time to think about this, Becky. I'm going to my room. We'll have to talk about this some more after we both get some sleep."
"Sure," I replied, not really knowing what to say. Things would have been so much easier if only I could only tell Mandy I'd been her boyfriend Dick before that damnable Herbie had turned me into a girl. But even if I could tell Mandy everything, she'd never believe me. Who would? "I'll see you later in the morning."
As much as I wished to go with her, I silently watched Mandy turn and head for her room.
Once Mandy had closed the door behind her, I slowly turned and headed for my room. Every step of the way, I thought about Mandy and that kiss.
Even after I'd changed clothes and plopped down onto my bed, thoughts of that kiss we'd shared continued to fill my mind. Nor could I shake the strange feeling that Mandy's kiss was somehow better, even more sensual, than any kiss Mandy had given me as Dick.
On the other hand, I'd never been a girl when Mandy had kissed me before. That might easily be the reason I felt as I did. Not that I was complaining, now that I was a girl, my body was far more sensitive and more easily aroused.
I hoped Mandy would kiss me again.
But that had to be Mandy's decision.
However, the more I thought about it, the more puzzling I found it.
Why had Mandy kissed me as if I were still Dick?
As far as I knew - and Mandy had said as much - Mandy had never kissed another girl the way she had me. Of course, I still liked Mandy as much as I always had. And I'd never had problems with Mandy kissing me.
But shouldn't I now?
We were both girls now. We had boyfriends - at least I did; Mandy was all set to dump Herbie. I knew Mandy had always been heterosexual. Even if that had been in another reality, we'd been lovers when I was Dick. I would have known if other girls had ever intrigued Mandy. On top of everything else, one of Herbie's damn spells had turned my sexual interests toward the male of the species.
Very clearly, I liked boys. Any guy at Wally's party would have confirmed that.
As a test of sorts, I focused her thoughts on Wally Harris. In my mind's eye, nothing had changed. I still considered Wally a hot handsome stud. Just thinking about Wally turned me on. However, I couldn't tell if I felt as excited or aroused as I always had before.
"What the hell's going on?" I mumbled.
Just then, my bedroom door swung open. There stood Mandy, naked as the day she'd been born, looking so sexy and hotter than Hell. "I've thought it over, Becky," she announced. "I know what I want! And I'm sure what I want is what you want too!" Mandy gazed hungrily at me. "If you don't want me in your bed, say so now and I'll return to my room."
I said nothing; there was nothing that needed saying.
All I could do was smile blissfully as Mandy kissed me again and again.
Two
When I woke up, Mandy was no where to be seen.
I could only wonder where Mandy had gone. For a moment, I became fretful that last night had been nothing more than a wonderful dream. But then, I'd never, even when I'd still been Dick, had much of an imagination. I soon realized the only way I could know how fantastic being Mandy's lesbian lover felt was if it had really happened.
Mandy's lesbian lover?
That was who I was now.
Not that becoming Mandy's lover bothered me in the slightest, I couldn't help but wonder how it could have happened. Despite what we'd done, the odds we'd become lesbian lovers were strongly stacked against us. Even though it had been a different reality, I remembered nothing that suggested Mandy might have been attracted to other girls while we'd been dating. From what she'd said earlier, Mandy had never kissed another girl like she had kissed me. That was a relief; I would have been so jealous finding out she had. And then, there were that asshole Herbie's damn spells to consider.
On the other hand, I couldn't help but smile at the thought of how pissed off Herbie was bound to be. "Isn't that just too fucking bad," I gleefully mumbled.
However, I quickly realized Herbie might turn out to be a rather nasty problem. Despite how overjoyed I was having Mandy as my lover, I hoped Mandy would say nothing to Herbie about dumping him for me. Herbie had never liked losing. And that whiny piss poor loser would hate losing Mandy to me again. There was no way of knowing what he might do to me for coming between him and Mandy again. Changing me back into Dick didn't seem overly likely. All his other fantasies for ridding the world of the Dick me before he'd finally settled on turning me into my own sister were far from appealing. Forced to chose from those other choices, I'd rather remain Becky.
My thoughts were interrupted by a gentle rapping on my door. I knew who it was. "Come on in, Mandy. I'm awake." As I sat up in my bed, I wasn't sure what to expect.
"We need to talk," said Mandy, as she entered my room.
"I know." But knowing that failed to keep me from worrying.
After making her way over to my bed, Mandy sat down beside me, then slid one of her slender arms around me. Within a heartbeat, we were kissing again. As we had been most of the early morning, we were locked in one another's fervently impassioned embrace.
When Mandy abruptly pulled back, I was surprised. I felt confused. "I was afraid you were going to tell me you thought last night was a mistake." My voice echoed not only my confusion, but a fair amount of worry as well. Something had somehow changed... again.
"Why would I do something like that?" asked Mandy playfully. "Do you know how long I've been trying to get you into my bed, girl. I would have never guessed our first time would be in your bed." Mandy looked deeply into my eyes and smiled. "If you haven't figured it out by now, I've lusted after your hot sexy bod long before I moved in with you last month."
Last month?
Yesterday, Amanda had moved in with me eight months ago.
And it had only been one week when I'd still been Dick.
What else had changed? Would I notice anything without being told? Since things were apparently still changing around us, Herbie's new reality obviously wasn't too stable. I wished I could discuss this strangeness with Mandy. Hell, I wished I could discuss it with anybody not named Herbie.
"I love you, Mandy." I was surprised, yet not surprised, by my sudden admission. Of course, I'd loved Mandy from the moment I'd first seen her. It made no difference to me that I'd been Dick at the time.
"I know," replied Mandy. "I've always known."
Again I was, yet wasn't, surprised. I knew Mandy loved me... had always loved me. I was beginning to think Mandy and I were meant to be together. If that comforting thought were true, nothing that damn asshole Herbie did could prevent it. But I was still feeling somewhat puzzled. "What did you want to talk to me about?"
"I had a strange phone call from my grandmother early this morning."
That surprised me. I knew the call must have been stranger than Mandy might have imagined. It added to what else I knew was different. Mandy had never known either of her grandmothers. Both had died before Mandy had been born. And yet, at the same time, I somehow knew Mandy was referring to her mother's mother. "How is old Granny doing?" I asked, much to my surprise. "I haven't seen her for a couple of weeks."
"Same as always. Nothing much ever changes with her."
"What did she want that you thought was so strange?"
"She wanted to know if I'd noticed anything odd or unusual again over the last twenty-four hours or so. I told her a few things seemed a bit off kilter and maybe a little out of place, but there was nothing really odd or unusual. Isn't that strange?"
"It certainly is. But I wonder what she meant," I replied. Even if not for the same reason, I considered Granny's call quite strange. If that wasn't enough, I wasn't sure I'd understood what Mandy had said. If only I could tell Mandy just how really odd and unusual the past twenty-four hours had been. "Anything else?"
"I don't know, Becky. Before I could ask her anything, she told me she'd have to call me back later because someone was at her door."
"So what do you want to do until Granny calls back?" I asked, an increasingly mischievous-looking grin spreading across my face.
"You really have to ask?" An equally impish grin had begun spreading across Mandy's face.
And then the doorbell rang.
"Who the hell can that be?"
"Maybe whoever it is will go away if we ignore the bell?"
"It might be something important."
"Or not."
"There's only one way we're going to find out, Becky. I'll have to go to the door." Mandy smiled at me. "After all, you're not exactly dressed for visitors." Once Mandy had stood up, she headed for the front door, making sure to close my bedroom door as she did.
I decided I should put on some clothes, just in case Mandy needed my support.
* * * * * *
As soon as she opened the door, Mandy frowned. "What the hell are you doing here, Herbie?"
"That's Herbert! My name is Herbert! Herbert Wellington Atkins the Fifth!" he snarled. "Had my parents intended I be mundanely referred to as Herbie they would have so named me."
"Can the crap, Herbie! I've already heard it twelve dozen times," snapped Mandy. "What the fuck do you want here?"
"Why are you talking to me this way, Amanda?"
"Why shouldn't I? It's so much fun," replied Mandy. "And how many times have I told you I prefer being called Mandy."
"You're not supposed to be this way. You're my girlfriend now, Amanda," said Herbert. "What's wrong with you?"
"Wrong with me? Your girlfriend?" Mandy began laughing. She was still laughing when I entered the room. I was glad I didn't miss when she asked him, "What kind of fucking shit have you been smoking, Herbie?"
Herbie looked like he'd been hit with a brick. I would have enjoyed hitting him with a few dozen more. "No! No! Not again!" He stared at Mandy for a few seconds, then turned and glared at me. "It wasn't you after all. But I was so sure."
I didn't feel like saying anything to Herbie. I hoped Mandy would follow my lead. Fortunately, the phone took that moment to ring.
Three
"Do you want me to get the phone?" I asked.
Mandy shook her head. "No. That's okay; I'll get it," she replied. "It's probably my grandmother calling me back." She stared at Herbie for a moment. "I have nothing more to say to you, Herbie. Don't let the door hit your ass on your way out." With that, she turned and headed for the other room.
Herbie just stood there in shock. I loved it. He stared after her in stunned disbelief. I might have been s little concerned if this had been someone other than Herbie.
"What happened? What the hell is going on here, Rebecca?" he finally asked me once Mandy was out of sight.
"Why are you asking me?" I snapped back, not that I was about to tell him anything I knew. "You're the big bad wizard here, not me."
"You got that right. I am a wizard; you're just a girl," he snarled. "What could you possibly know anyway?"
What was his problem? At that moment, I wanted to slug the sexist asshole. However, I decided keeping my cool was probably better. No matter what he said, there was no way I'd be volunteering any information. In a way, this might be better. If that dumbshit Herbie thought I didn't - couldn't have - any information, then that was just so much the better for me... and Mandy.
Although I wasn't sure why, Herbie kept staring at me. It was almost as if he were looking for something. Whatever his reason, his staring made me nervous. What if he was starting to get ideas? If Mandy couldn't be his, would he want me to take her place? After a few more moments, he began shaking his head. "Obviously, you weren't the real problem after all, Rebecca dear. But I was so sure it had to be you. Who else could it be? What could I have possibly missed?"
Relief surged through me. Hoping remaining silent would make Herbie go away, I didn't say a word. Not that I was surprised, the dumb shit didn't go anywhere. Herbie had always been awfully slow when it came to taking a hint... especially when that hint came from a girl.
"Have you got any ideas, Rebecca?"
His question caught me by surprise. He must have been really flustered. Asking for someone's opinion had never been Herbie's style. "No. None. Nada," I replied simply.
"You're not being very helpful, girl" he snarled. "Did you see Amanda talking to anyone last night?"
"Last night?"
"Quit acting so dumb! You're not even blonde!" snapped Herbie. "Last night... you know... at Wally's party. You were both there; I wasn't."
Once again, he'd caught off guard. "You knew about Wally's party?"
"Of course, I did. I knew all about the party your boyfriend was having," replied Herbie. "I know everything; I'm a wizard. You haven't forgotten; have you?" The gloating tone of his voice was unmistakable. "I'm not stupid, you know?"
I was tempted to ask him if he wanted to make a little bet on that, but quickly decided not asking would be better. Herbie had never minded hearing the truth... as long as it wasn't about him.
"Why did your boyfriend invite her to his party and not me?"
"I don't know. You'd have to ask Wally," I replied calmly, wondering why he'd asked since he knew everything. I could have told him it was because everyone thought he was pompous, damnably obnoxious, and a boring little shit, but telling him that wasn't in my best interests. I wasn't about to say anything to Herbie I might regret saying later.
"Did Amanda talk to anyone last night?" he repeated.
"Other than me? And maybe Wally? Probably." I saw no reason to say anything about Sam Preston. It wasn't as if that relationship was going anywhere now. "When Mandy wasn't with me, I didn't pay a whole lot of attention to what she did. Mandy could have spoken to anyone."
"I see! I suppose I should have known better than ask. It's all over town, you know." He grinned as if he knew something he shouldn't. "You and Walter Harris have become a really hot item; haven't you?"
I made no reply. That damn asshole could think whatever he wanted.
Obviously, Herbie misread my silence. "Don't worry about anything, Rebecca. Even though you weren't the cause of my trouble with Amanda as I'd thought, I won't be turning you back into Dick." As his smile widened further, I wished I could knee the jackass in the crotch. "I really like you better this way. You're a lot easier on the eyes now that you're Rebecca. You and Walter make a great couple. Now that he's had you, why deprive him of a girlfriend who's such a hot sexy babe. Know what I mean, Rebecca? I'm sure you do."
I had a good idea what he meant, but remained silent. I hated what he must be thinking, but decided his opinions were unimportant. With the way things had worked out, I didn't want Herbie suspecting I didn't mind being a girl. In fact, I liked being one. Being a girl had its good points. And there several additional advantages to being one I'd never considered before. Mandy being my lesbian lover made the top of my list. She was the absolute best lover a girl like me could have.
"I must be going now, Rebecca. I have a lot of things on mind that need figuring out," said Herbie. "I'll leave you two girls alone to do your girl stuff, which I'm sure would never interest me." He laughed. "You don't need to see me to the door, Rebecca dear; I know the way. I'll be back once I've figured everything out and Amanda's my girlfriend again."
Fat chance of that, I thought. But as I watched the clueless Herbie leave, I suddenly had a chilling thought. How many other times had he done what he'd done to me? I wondered if Sam Preston would be a Samantha instead of a Samuel the next time I saw him... Or would that be saw her? In all likelihood, I'd never notice anything had changed. Damn that Herbie!
I was still lost in thought about all the wicked things Herbie would think of doing, when Mandy came back into the room. I might have never noticed her return had she not slid her arms around me, turned me around, and planted one squarely on my lips. Thoughts of Herbie and what he'd be doing fled from my mind. What girl in her right mind could think about evil Herbie while Mandy was kissing her?
My heart was racing... my head was spinning... when Mandy pulled back from me. She had an odd, puzzled look on her face. Mandy had always been so beautiful whenever she was pondering some mystery. "Is something wrong, Mandy?"
"I don't really know, Becky." She looked at me oddly. I had no idea why. "That was my grandmother on the phone. I thought her earlier call was strange. This one was even stranger."
"You don't say." If only there were some way I could tell Mandy I was really her boyfriend Richard! If she thought whatever her grandmother had told her was strange, what would she think of that?
"If I ask you a question, will you answer me truthfully?" she asked. Then she added, "Even if the question sounds kinda odd."
"Of course. Why would I lie to you?"
"I don't know. Why would you?" replied Mandy. Once again she gave me an odd look. "Aren't you happier now than when you were Dick, Becky?"
"What?!" I exclaimed. I couldn't believe what I'd heard. "What did you just ask me?"
Four
"It's true! Isn't it?" replied Amanda. She stared at me for a moment. "No! It can't be! I don't believe it!"
I was shocked by what she'd said. "How did you know?" I asked. Her knowledge... us even talking about it... was against all the rules Herbie had laid down.
"I didn't... not really. When Grandma called she asked me if I'd noticed anything strange again. I told her I hadn't." Mandy took a long deep breath. "I don't how best to explain this, Becky. There's been an awful lot of wild magic centered about me of late."
"Wild magic? What's that?"
"That's kinda hard to explain. You can think of it as left over magic. It results whenever someone improperly schooled in magic casts spells. More often than not, things begin changing that the spellcaster had no intentions of changing. Reality might settle down in a couple of hours, but it often takes a few days."
"How do you know all this?" I asked. "Are you some kind of witch or something?"
"No, silly, I'm no witch," smiled Becky. "Although I am sensitive, I couldn't cast a spell if my life depended on it."
"I'm confused. How did you know I was really your boyfriend Dick?"
"I didn't. For as long as I've known you, you've always been Becky," she replied. "Even if you remember being Dick, I don't remember you being either Dick or male."
"Now I'm really confused." That had to be the understatement of my life. How could Mandy have asked me if I was happier being Becky than being Dick when she didn't even know I'd been Dick? "How did you know who I was?"
"Granny told me," replied Mandy. "When she'd asked me how Richard was, I had no idea who she meant. I really thought Granny had lost it when she told me Richard was my roommate. When I told her my roommate's name was Rebecca, all she said was 'That explains a lot, dear'."
"No, it doesn't."
"It didn't make sense to me either, Becky... at least until Granny began explaining it," replied Mandy. "She told me you and I were soulmates and were meant to be together forever and ever."
"Soulmates." I liked how that sounded. "That must explain why we're still lovers."
"That... and that totally hot bod of yours, babe." Mandy smiled at me. "Granny also told me that your turning female probably should have resulted in me becoming male. Isn't that a horrible thought? Fortunately for me, something in the wild magic about us or someone intervened."
That someone had to be Herbie. If Mandy were a boy, how could she be Herbie's girlfriend? I thought I was finally beginning to understand. "If you couldn't be changed into a boy, reality had to find another way to readjust so we'd still be together." Knowingly, I smiled at Mandy. "That must be why we've become lesbian lovers."
"I suppose that might be one way of looking at it," replied Mandy. "But from my point of view, you've always been a girl and we've always been lesbians." A naughty smile crept slowly across her face. "I wouldn't have it any other way, Becky. You must know I've always had the hots for you."
Wild magic was complicated. I doubted anyone understood it fully. Despite how totally Herbie had seemed to be in control at the time, things continued changing about me. It seemed unlikely Herbie knew he was being thwarted by wild magic from his own spells. Even now, I wasn't convinced reality had finally stabilized. How long would it be before Herbie decided to cast more spells?
But there was something I was curious about. "Can you change back me into Richard?"
"I can't. As I told you, I'm a sensitive... more of an observer. I don't have the power to cast spells," replied Mandy. A wicked grin swiftly spread across her face. "Besides, why would you ever want to be Richard when I like you just the way you are, Becky? You're so hot and sexy... my kind of girl. We've always had so much fun being together."
"But I was your boyfriend before I got turned into a girl."
"That's what Granny told me, but I just don't remember you that way at all," replied Mandy. "No matter how many times you tell me, I can't imagine you being a guy."
I didn't know what to say to that. It wasn't that I disliked being a girl. Being a girl wasn't so bad. Apparently the longer I remained a girl, the more comfortable being one felt. Having Mandy as my lover was one helluva great perk. But this wasn't right. I hadn't been born hadn't born a girl. "What about your grandmother?" I asked, unsure why I had. "Can she change me back?"
"Granny probably has the power," replied Mandy, sounding somewhat disappointed. "But I doubt she'll ever try. She told me it might be better leaving well enough alone."
"Why?"
"It's the wild magic," began Mandy. "It would be different if whoever cast the spells were properly schooled, but nobody, not even Granny, can know everything that's been changed. Trying to change you back might make things worse than they are."
Asking her how things could be worse never entered my mind. Those other things Herbie had considered doing to me were still fresh in my mind. Staying a girl was infinitely better than any of his other ideas. "I guess I'm going to be a girl the rest of my life."
"Is that going to be so bad?" smiled Mandy.
"Not really," I replied, seeing no sense in denying the obvious. "It would be a lot worse if you weren't here."
Mandy smiled. "I thought as much, Becky. You're so hot and sexy. You've always been a great lover."
She kissed me.
I kissed her back.
This all seemed so right now.
When Mandy pulled back from me, she smiled. "The only thing that would better is knowing who's responsible for the wild magic. That person has to be stopped before more spells can be cast."
I wondered if I could tell her about Herbie. After everything we'd discussed, all of which Herbie had told me I couldn't, I decided I had to give it a try. "Would it help if I told you I know who turned me into a girl?"
"You know! That's great!" exclaimed Mandy excitedly. "Who is it?"
"Herbie," I replied, relieved I'd been able to tell her.
"Herbie?" Mandy sounded surprised. "Are you sure?"
"Positive. I was there; remember?"
"But why?"
"Herbie's always wanted you to be his girlfriend," I replied. "He figured you'd be his if I were out of his way. Turning me into a girl was how he decided to take me out of the picture."
"I don't understand. That doesn't make sense," objected Mandy. "Why would Herbie ever want me for a girlfriend? I don't even like boys!"
"But you did when I was one."
"I don't remember that, Becky," replied Mandy. "I should call Granny. She'll want to know what you just told me." Mandy left the room, but returned only a few moments later. "Granny told me not to worry about Herbie anymore."
"What does that mean?"
"I don't know. That was all she said." Mandy looked at me and smiled. "Knowing Granny, I'm sure she'll call after she's done whatever she's going to do."
"What do you want to do until she calls back?" I grinned.
"Becky... Becky... Becky... I can't believe you had to ask." After Mandy slid her arms around me, she kissed me.
"I don't what came over me, Mandy," I replied playfully, kissing her back. "I know what I want to do."
"So do I!"
Our arms entwined about each other, we headed for our bedroom.
* * * * * *
Later... much later... the phone on the stand beside the sleeping lovers' bed rang.
Mandy rolled over and picked up the phone. "Hello," she said sleepily. "Granny?" Suddenly she was wide awake. "Is something wrong?"
"Who is it?" I asked.
"Granny," replied Mandy. "That was Becky," she said into the phone. "Okay. I'll tell her." She sounded puzzled. As Mandy put the phone back into its cradle, a look of confusion appeared on her face.
"Tell me what?"
"She wanted me to tell you Herbie's been taken care of."
"Herbie?" Now I was puzzled. "Who the hell is Herbie?"
"I have no idea," replied Mandy. "I've never known anyone named Herbie." Mandy smiled at me. "I wouldn't worry about it, Becky. Granny's getting old and probably meant to call someone else." Her smile widened. "Now where were we, babe?"
I replied by kissing her. And she responded quickly and eagerly.
I was going to so love being a girl.
The End