Careful Who You Trust

Chapter 1
Chapter 1

"Soooo, Mom, what’s this little ’family’ get together all about? Another straighten up or get out lecture? IF it is, let’s make it quick ’cause I got plans for the evening!"

"Now, Jan, don’t make this difficult. Just sit here and hear us out. Your grandmother and I have talked this over with your step-father. We just can’t have you out at all hours getting into trouble doing who knows what! You know you’re already on probation and one little slip up and they’ll be sending you off to reform school. What really worries me is that you’re almost 18 and you might end up in prison...."

"Mom! Get real!..."

"This is as ’real’ as it gets honey. This is serious and we don’t want you to ruin your life. You’re to precious to us for that. It’s not all your fault. We’re all to blame really....all the moving.... the fights....."

Grandmother Riley sits down at the table with the rest of the family and hands out drinks. "Sweetie, we’ve all talked about this before and still nothing seems to change. Your mother was young when she had you and she had a really tough time trying to make ends meet while raising a child. She tried her best and Lord knows I tried to help. She was lucky to find a man like Michael. Your real father wasn’t a father at all....Just a punk! Your step-father has treated you like one of his own...."

"Oh right! Mr. Womanizer! Daddy Michael....What a dad! Gimme a break!" leered Jan

Michael looked away hanging his head in shame. He knew what she had said was true. Finally he spoke "Jan, honey, regardless of what you think of ’me’ I’ve always been here for you. Your ’real’ father hasn’t made an appearance since the day your mother told him she was pregnant! Why do you do this to us? Where do you get so much hate?"

Jan took a big drink out of her glass and asked sarcastically "So, I’m kicked out? Is that it? Sssssure! You can’t do that.... you don’t have the balls to do that!"

"Laura, you talk to her...." Michael said to his wife, slowly shaking his head and getting up from the table. Jan touched her daughter’s hand and told her "You’re right. We tried bluffing you too many times. We could threaten you again but it would be pointless. We’ve decided on a different course of action this time. It might be a bit extreme but you’re worth it, honey!"

"Extreme? What now? Hey......" she stopped in mid sentence as she noticed her voice sounded slightly different.

"I think it’s working now" Grandmother Riley says "....Oh yes, I can definitely see it working now!"

"Working? What is this? Hey? My voice! What’s going on?!" Jan asks, sounding more than a bit worried.

"We felt that you needed a fresh start. Your life was on a one-way street to trouble. There’s enough money now that we can raise you right. No baby-sitters all the time. The whole family can spend ’quality time’ together! Wow, Look at you.... It’s incredible!" her mother told her as she watched the changes coming over her daughter.

Jan felt her body ’moving’ inside her clothes. She could see her mother watching her and smiling. "Damn it! What have you done to me?" Jan yells at the family as they continue watching her body shrink before their eyes.

"Just look at her.... she couldn’t be more than 14 now!" her Grandmother says.

"FOURTEEN? This can’t be real! Make it stop! I’ll be good, I promise!" the young teen pleads. She is now fully aware of what is happening to her.

"This was your Grandma’s idea. She’s a wise woman and she knows people who have ummmm powers. It’s not evil.... how could it be evil? Just a little drink and I get my little angel back!" her mother says to her, still smiling the whole time.

Jan notices that room now appears to be growing. She can see the table slowly rising toward her chin. She stares at her shrinking hands. All of a sudden she feels her feet ’lift’ from the floor!"Mommy, why are you doing this to me? This isn’t right. I don’t wanna have to grow up again!"

Her mother was positively beaming now, quite happy to see the innocent face that was appearing before her "Honey, that’s just your ’old’ memories talking. Soon, they’ll fade away and then you’ll be a little girl again. Totally. You’ll be running and playing.....And you’ll have only the ’best’ this time!"

Jan’s memory was fading. She knew that she wasn’t really a little girl but that is how she looked and she couldn’t remember how old she really was. She looked toward the glass door and could see her reflection staring back. She smiled as she saw the small child that she had become. As her memories faded she became more comfortable. She now looked to be about 5 years old. She was no longer getting any younger physically, but her mind was still regressing.

With her adult memories fading fast she looked back at her mother for a moment and then said "Mommy, you wook younger too...."

Laura answered her now little daughter "No, honey. Mommy’s not getting any younger...." . Michael cut in "Welllllll Yeah, actually you ’ARE’ getting younger..... Sorry, we had to trick you....Really it’s for the best. Like you told Jan, soon the old memories will fade and then you’ll be just a little girl yourself! Not a care in the world!"

"WHAT?! Why? Is this a joke? It’s not funny....." She could hear the change in her voice. It was clearer and maybe even higher in pitch. A quick glance at her reflection revealed that she was barely more than a teenager now. "Stop it.... Please stop it! Pleasssssssse" she begged. She could feel the clothes getting much looser on her body. Little Jan stared in fascination, pointing and laughing, as the potion continued to work its magic on her youthening mother. "NOooooooo..........Whyyyyyy??????" sobbed the 10 year old as she continued to get younger.-----

.......As the last of Laura’s adult thoughts left her, she could see Michael and HER mother embrace.... with a very drawn out, deep and passionate kiss!

End