Madame Zelda: Trading Up....Trading Down

Chapter 6
Chapter 6

Defeated, Staci returned home. She now completely understood that lying had been the wrong thing to do. All she could do was hope that Marsha would be reasonable and trade back when the time was up. Upon arriving home she could see that Marsha was again gone. The ’home-body’ lifestyle that the 39 year old Marsha had lived was now replaced by a girl who was always out and about.

Staci once again found herself waiting for Marsha to return home. The sun had long since disappeared and darkness had fallen. One more night after this one and it would be time for Staci and Marsha to trade back. Staci only hoped that she could find some trace of maturity still residing somewhere inside Marsha, and that she could somehow reason with her.

Staci was startled by the sound of the door opening.

’I didn’t hear you drive up?’ Staci asked upon seeing Marsha closing the door.

’Oh Ummmm.... I.... Uhhhhh.... You must not’ve been listening’ Marsha replied.

Staci wondered if she could have failed to hear Debbi’s car..... ’Is my hearing starting to fail?’ she wondered.

It was clear that Marsha had spent the whole afternoon in the sun. The sun had lightened her already light blond hair.

’How was the lake?’

’Cool...Way cool! We were on the boat, like, all afternoon. We should get a boat of our own so we could go anytime we feel like it. I even rode a jet-ski! WOW!’

’I hope you wore a life jacket’

’Oh Puh-lease!! Sheeesh!’

Marsha kicked off her shoes and headed upstairs. Soon, the now familiar ’boom’ of Marsha’s new favorite radio station was rattling the floor. Staci didn’t think ’now’ was a good time to try and convince Marsha to trade back as planned rather than waiting any longer. Staci didn’t want to spend another day in her 39 year old body. Everything hurt! She didn’t have the energy to do anything! ’Only one more day.... that’ll be it.... She’ll just ~have~ to agree!’ Staci thought.

------

The next morning found Staci up bright and early. Marsha, again, had slept in. Marsha padded into the kitchen and grabbed a glass of juice. She joined Staci at the table.

’Marsha, this is the last day of our trade...you know? Tomorrow is when we’re supposed to trade back. I’ll sure be glad.....’

’What?!!!? Tomorrow? I thought we decided to wait until, like, AFTER the weekend?’

’No, ~you~ mentioned it, but I never agreed. I still want to do it tomorrow’

’That’s not fair! You promised! You’re just thinking about yourself! You never consider ME! I don’t wanna do it tomorrow!’

’I think it’s best to do it tomorrow. Please don’t argue!’

’Why are you being this way? C’mon....What’s a couple of more days? What can that, like, hurt?’

’Think for a minute.... You ~are~ MY mother! Your emotions are just all mixed up. As soon as we trade back, you’ll be really glad. You’re just like on a roller coaster right now.... one minute your up and the next you’re down!’

’Only ’cuz you make me that way!’

’Listen to yourself. Do you really think you are being ’responsible’? Try to reason this all out. I want my mother back! I NEED my mother back!’

Marsha seemed to reflect on that part of the conversation. ’Ok, I’ll think about it....’ She finally said as she got up from the table and padded back out of the kitchen.

’Please do...’ Staci told her before she left ear-shot.

Marsha spent the day lounging around the backyard soaking in more sunshine. A couple of times Marsha made some quick phone calls from the cordless phone. Staci was curious but kept quiet. She felt that it was best to let Marsha reflect on her last day of being 17. She was sure Marsha would want to make up a good reason to be leaving that she could tell Debbi. Staci even rationalized that the 39 year old Marsha could still write to Debbi...they just wouldn’t be able to meet face to face! Staci wondered if the 39 year old Marsha would still find the 17 year old Debbi her ’bestest friend’?

As the sun started to set, Marsha came inside. Staci heard the shower start running....and running! After a long shower she heard Marsha rummaging around upstairs. The longer it went on, the more curious she got! Her curiosity was answered when she saw Marsha making her way downstairs. Marsha was wearing the short and sexy green dress that she had purchased at the mall. The tan that she had acquired during the previous week was the perfect compliment to the dress. She was wearing the necklace that Debbi had picked out along with a collection of rings and a leather ankle bracelet. Her blond hair was down around her shoulders along with a couple of braids to compliment the look.

’Wow.... You look great.’ Staci said as she saw very little in the girl in front of her that reminded her of the Marsha she knew as her mother!

’You really think so?’ Marsha asked.

’Yes..... perfect... What’s the occassion?’

’If tonight is my last night like this, I just wanted to make it a little more special. I know I could never wear something like this when I’m ol...errrrr ....back like before.’

’I think I understand. Just have a good time and I’ll see you when you get in.’

’I.... I need to ummmm borrow the car..... if it’s OK?’

’It is YOUR car.... but the way you talked about it.... I never thought you’d want to be seen in it! Especially on a weekend!’

’Oh...it IS mine...hehehehe.... I forgot..... Maybe we can ’trade’ ~IT~ in.....’ Marsha said as her voice trailed off and her mood seemed to swing again. ’I better go.... I guess....’

Staci watched her teenaged mother walk out the door. She was glad that even at 17 her mother could still be reasonable! She knew that this night would not be easy on her. Staci was glad the ’trade’ was almost over. She sat down and began looking for something on TV. She used to enjoy ABC’s TGIF lineup, but it didn’t seem to hold her interest on this night. She finally settled on the Lifetime channel.

After watching only a couple of shows she heard a car pull into the driveway. A quick check of the clock showed her it was only 9PM. She saw an outline that looked like Marsha walking towards the house. The door opened and Marsha entered nervously.

’Ummmmm We, like...... uhhhh need to talk’ Marsha stammered.

’What? What is it?’

’I’m not gonna, like, change back tomorrow morning....’

’Huh? Why? Don’t make me wait any longer. Let’s not wait until after the weekend!’

’Ummmmm no... not then either....’

Staci started getting nervous. ’What are you saying?’

’I....Uh...we...... hold on!’ Marsha stuck her head outside and motioned for someone.

Staci about fainted as in walked.... HER FATHER.... STEVE! The man who had left her and her mother years ago. The man who couldn’t make a support payment on time....if at ALL!

’Hi, hon...Staci?’ Steve said as he saw his daughter who was now his own age!

’Dad? Mar...Mother? What’s going on?’

Marsha grabbed Steve’s hand and squeezed it tight. She twisted her foot nervously in her shoe and didn’t seem able to look Staci in the eye.

’Staci.... I never meant for this to happen.... None of us did...How could we?’ Steve explained ’I came over the other day to drop off a support check and this vision, this goddess, opened the door. I thought I’d lost my mind! Here was a girl that looked just like the girl I married.... only a little younger! Imagine my surprise when I found out that she WAS the girl!’

Marsha looked up at Steve with the eyes of a girl totally lost in her boyfriend. ’I thought it was Debbi..ya know? Coming to pick me up.... but it was, like, Steve. And he still looked so totally handsome! We instantly fell right back in love...’

’LOVE? He never loved you! He LEFT you! He only wants you now because you’re YOUNG! Even younger than when you first met him. You’ll get old again and he’ll leave again! Noooooooo!’ Staci screamed.

’I know this is all hard for you Staci. Marsha and I DO love each other.... ’ Steve said.

Marsha then added ’Yeah.... The breakup was, like, all my fault...totally. We’ve talked soooo much about it and I know I pushed him away! He’s helped to, like, show me what I did wrong!’

’~YOU~ did wrong? Nooooooo You’re too young! He’s using you! He’s taking advantage of you!’

’I’m not ~too~ young! I know exactly what I’m doing. I’m gonna work soooooo so much harder this time! Steve has so many good plans.... When you were, like, born, I started pushing him.... I was so stupid! A total airhead! He has all these, like, big plans and stuff and I wanted to strap him into some kinda factory job or somethin’!’

’Yes...A JOB! You wanted him to get a JOB to SUPPORT us instead of running around all the time!’ Staci argued.

’Staci, I’m older. Things can be different. I would never had been with any of those other women if your mother hadn’t pushed me away. She knows that now!’ Steve told her.

Marsha gave Steve a peck on the cheek and giggled.

’No...No, No, No! Don’t you see? Now YOU’RE the naive younger woman! You’ll get older and he’ll do it all again...he always has! He won’t support you with his ’plans’... how will you get any money? What about ME?’

’I can get a job!’ Marsha shot back.

’You’re 17! How can you get a job...no one will believe you have ANY experience!’

’I can SO get a job. I filled out an application at Pizza Hut and they think I’ll be, like, ~great~ so THERE!’

’Pizza Hut? A waitress? Oh my! Nooooooo....What about me? This is all wrong! Dad, you can’t be doing this to ~me~....:’

’Staci.... ~I~ didn’t do this....~ You~ did!’ Steve answered.

Marsha weaved her fingers around Steve’s and then smiled. They kissed.....and then kissed again..... Staci could only run from the room sobbing.

----

Meanwhile, Madame Zelda was confident that Staci, from this point on, would be very honest and always would be careful with what she wished for! Zelda didn’t really want to leave Staci a middle-aged woman forever and figured she could ’right’ that ’wrong’ when young Marsha visited about her two timing husband!

THE END ?

 

---