After letting you get it all out, Saunders asked you then if you'd like to go see him. Informing you that he'd be waking up soon. You couldn't bring yourself to do so however and declined. Being afraid to face him as he know was. To see someone else wearing your mother's form. Instead wanting very much to be left alone. Respecting this, the two doctors told you that they'd be back to check up on you in a little while and quickly left. Leaving you there to wallow in your grief.
Admittedly, you couldn't help but feel both ashamed and embarrassed over this decision. Supposedly being the strong one. The one who, as Dr. Saunders had told you, needed to be there to support Randall and help him through this difficult time. The same way he had helped you many times before in the past. Instead, all you could do was lay there in your bed, crying. Telling yourself that you simply needed time to process the loss of your mother and the change to your best friend, as well as work up the courage. When in truth, what you really wanted to do was just shut it all out and pretend like none of this had ever happened. It being so much easier that way.
And so, once the doctors returned a few hours later, you again refused to see your friend. Fobbing them off with yet another excuse. Still not being ready. Not entirely sure that you ever would be either. Thinking that it may take days, or even weeks before you were willing to face the facts and see him. And it may well have done, had Randall not forced you to deal with it a lot sooner than that. Having obviously grown impatient of waiting for you, and appearing in your room the next day...
"Tim..." you heard a soft and instantly recognizable voice say, while you'd were laying in bed, mindlessly staring at the TV. Knowing fine well who it belonged to. Turning to see his face peering nervously at you from behind the door.
You knew exactly who it was of course the moment you clapped eyes on him. But still, it was as if every single fiber of your being was screaming at you, telling you were wrong. This wasn't Randall, your best friend, this was your mother! Looking exactly the same as you remembered her. Same shoulder length blonde hair. Same bright green eyes. Same nose. Same lips. Same maturity of face. Same everything! There being absolutely nothing at all in front of you to indicate that she wasn't exactly who she appeared to be. Finding yourself, out of instinct, gasping, "Mom..." Having definitely not been prepared for this.
"Hey, dude," he said. The use of the word "dude" quickly breaking the illusion. Your mother certainly having never spoken like that. "Mind if I come in?"
"Uh... nuh-nuh... no," you stuttered, after a few seconds. Finally forcing yourself to speak. Watching as your friend walked into the room, similarly clad in a drab green gown and slippers. It being just about the most surreal sight you'd ever seen. Knowing that it was him in there. "How... How you doing?"
He shrugged. "Oh you know. As well as can be expected I guess. Seeing how I'm now your 'loving mother'," his tone full of irony. Trying his best to crack a smile.
This unfortunately had a rather adverse effect on you. Feeling yourself starting to choke up a little.
Seeing your crestfallen expression, Randall hurriedly exclaimed "Oh shit! Sorry, man, I didn't think. As usual, opening my big mouth..."
"No. It's... It's fine," you told him. It not exactly being something he could help. He looked and sounded exactly like your mother. Nothing was going to change that.
"Guess this must be pretty freaky for you. ...Seeing me like this."
You nodded. "You could say that."
There was an awkward pause for a moment. Neither one of you really knowing what to say. Watching your once tall friend, shuffling nervously on his now small and curvy body. Telling you finally, as he walked over to and sat himself down on the end of your bed, "Listen, I'm really sorry about your mom, dude. She was a super cool lady. Way cooler than my own lousy parents anyway..." Hearing a touch of anger creeping into your mother's voice for a moment, before he let out a sigh. "This is some serious messed up shit right here. Me being in her body..."
"Yeah. It is," you agreed. Feeling the need to apologize then for not having come to see him. Having been too busy wallowing in your own anxiety and self pity, while Randall was left to face waking up in a different body all on his own. Granted, you'd lost you mom, and that hurt real bad, but he'd lost his entire life! Suddenly being 25 years older and female, not to mention in the body of his best friend's mom. It being a total mind-fuck.
"How are you... you know, coping with it all?" you asked. "The doctors said you were doing okay."
Randall wasn't quite so sure it seemed.
"I dunno. It's pretty fucking freaky, I'll be honest with you," he said. Grabbing at his chest and giving each large mound a jiggle. "Suddenly having these big things, as well as a pussy between my legs. Not to mention I'm old now! Though on the plus side, I am hot. ...Your mom really was a babe!"
You flinched uncomfortably at this. Randall having had a less than subtle crush on your mom for years, much to your displeasure. It being especially difficult then to hear him say and do things like that, now that he was doing so with both her voice and her body. It being extremely creepy in a way, and not exactly something you really wanted to witness.
Realizing this he let go of her breasts and quickly apologized. "Oh, sorry. I guess you don't wanna hear that kind of thing... Shit. This is a real fubar of a situation!"
You nodded slowly in agreement. It was indeed.
"Still, sure beats being dead," he then smiled. Sounding a little more positive. "Plus, it looks like we're finally gonna be roommates now. Won't have to wait till college."
Oh Shit... Yeah. You hadn't really given much thought about this truth be told. About how it was all going to work. But Randall was right. With him having to pretend to be your mom, he would be coming to live with you. It would just be the two of you alone together at home now. What with your father having passed away when you were younger and your mom having raised you single handedly ever since. Having no brothers or sisters to speak of, and the nearest relative being your Aunt, who lived a good few hours away. Randall was now pretty much it. Which was a strange thought indeed. He'd have to do all the jobs that she used to do. Pay the bills, take care of the housework, cook the dinner. All the things you always took for granted that your mom would do. Having no idea how to do it yourself.
On the plus side however, the two of you wouldn't really have to worry too much about money, not for a while anyway. Your father having left behind a pretty hefty life insurance check that had allowed your mother to survive these last few years without working (other than a few charity groups she'd been involved in). Which along with the payout from the hospital would certainly be a bonus. Seeing as you were both only 16 and it wasn't like Randall could just go out and get a job. Not having any qualifications to speak of...
"Though it's gonna be weird having to act like your mom in public and all that," he continued. "Pretend like I really am her." Informing you then of something else the doctors had told him. That there would be a pretty good possibility that he'd be able to access parts of your mother's subconscious. Learn things from it to help him adapt. "...Which is cool, I guess. Anyway, beats another two years at school, right?"
You weren't so sure. Ignoring this and asking instead, "Have you... Have you seen your folks yet?" Being rather curious about them and how they were taking all this. Surprised that they'd even agreed to it all in the first place. What with Randall's relationship with both his father and his step-mom, Alice, being very tumultuous to say the least.
To this, Randall let out a long sigh. "Yeah...."
**Based on an original chapter add by fantaghiro (UN: fantaghiro at Writing.Com).**
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