"...Your mother's and she's in yours."
Holy shit! You gasped. Feeling incredibly lightheaded all of a sudden. Thinking to yourself, Why did it have to be her? There of course being few other options, seeing how you were an only child and your deadbeat dad had walked out on you when you were like eight, but still... your best friend, Randall had also been in the car, as had your mom's friend, Rebecca. Much preferring either one of of them to your own mother. It... It just not being right!
"We know that its obviously not the most ideal situation, Timothy," Dr. Kerry again interjected, while you were still reeling from all this, "but believe you me, it really was the only way to save both your lives. Your mother's brain was just as damaged as yours was. It really is a miracle that you both made it out alive."
Not that this made you feel any better about being trapped inside her body. Feeling like you were going to be sick.
This wasn't the end of the bad news either, there apparently being even more. Kerry letting out an uncomfortable little cough as he explained how, due to the various legalities of the procedure, as well as the fact that it was still very much in the experimental stages, nobody else bar you and her could ever know what had transpired. Not even Randall nor Rebecca (who had both apparently made it out without a scratch) could know the truth. Meaning that the two of you were going to have to keep this whole thing a secret from the rest of the world, lest you end up on all over the news, or have to deal with the extremely complicated legal ramifications that two people swapping bodies would bring. You and your mother having to essentially take on each others lives too.
"You're... You're kidding me?" you asked, finally hearing a distinct femininity in the way you spoke. The sound of your mother's distinctive, yet still somewhat croaky voice causing you to cringe. "We seriously have to pretend to be each other? That's... That's insane!"
"Only when you're in public," Kerry told you. "In private you are both free to be yourselves."
This seemed of little consolation. It being bad enough you'd just been told your brain was now inside your mother's body and vice versa without adding this on top. There being absolutely no way they could seriously expect you to live like this. It sounding like an absolute nightmare; being a 16 year old boy trapped in the body of a 41 year old woman. A 41 year old woman that just happened to be your mom. It was twisted beyond words.
Stepping in again, Saunders informed you then that your mother had apparently already agreed to this. Much to your continued shock.
"You mean she's awake?"
"Yes. She has been for a few hours now. And although she was obviously extremely shocked when she first woke up, just as you are now, she quickly realized that in the long run, this really is the best course of action for you both."
"Jesus..." It blowing your mind even further that she had just accepted this. That she had basically decided this without even discussing it first, or even waiting for you to wake up. After all, this wasn't something trivial like choosing what to watch on TV or what to have for dinner, this was the rest of your lives that was being affected here. Which had apparently just gotten a lot shorter, by 26 years...
"It's a lot to take in I know, and we do wish that there could have been a better outcome," Saunders continued, trying his best to comfort you. "Unfortunately, this is how things have worked out. So all you can do is try and make the best of it."
You didn't really have much of a choice it seemed. If what they said was true and you were now stuck like this, what else were you going to do? Nothing, that's what, you silently groaned. You were fucked! It was as simple as that.
Despite this though, you did still want to see some actual proof of what had occurred, despite how terrified it made you feel. Your current numbness from the drugs, added to your position on the bed making it impossible to actually see any sort of change at all. Only having your still croaky and dehydrated voice to go on. Needing very much now to see your new body for yourself... Your mother's body. Asking then, as you spotted a small mirror on a side table, "Can I see? I wanna see?"
The older doctor thought this over for a moment, having a quiet word with his colleague that you couldn't quite make out, before turning back to you then and replying, "Alright. But please, Tim, try not to get too worked up. Your body is still recovering."
Even though you couldn't really keep this promise, having no idea how you were going to react, you nodded your head anyway. Watching then as Saunders reached over to the table and picked up the mirror. Feeling a growing sense of dread starting to build within your stomach as he did. The mirror slowly making its way towards you, arriving moments later directly in front of your face.
Oh God. It's real! you gasped, catching sight of your reflection. Finding that there, staring back at you, was the face of your very own mother, Jennifer Connors. Looking similarly shocked by what she saw. Her eyes wide and her mouth hanging open, mirroring your own expression. The sight leaving you utterly speechless, as well as completely blown away. I'm really her. I'm really Mom! Her longish blonde hair looking all matted and disheveled. Her soft green eyes red and puffy, while a series of small stitches decorated the top of one eyebrow. There being no doubt in your mind anymore that this really was her... Or more importantly, this really was you.
"As you can see, there is very little sign of any external damage visible to the cranium," Dr. Kerry explained, being unable to help himself. "We even managed to preserve your mother's hairline using a rather new and highly advanced, non-evasive surgery technique that I patented myself. To the outside observer, they wouldn't even know anything was amiss."
"Kerry!" Saunders barked, shushing his colleague. There being a time and a place for boasting and this clearly not being it.
Not that you'd really been listening anyway. Instead being far too focused on the eerie sight your mother's face moving as you moved. "This is... This is just too weird."
Moving the mirror away again, Dr. Saunders place a hand on your shoulder. Assuring you as he did, that as strange as all this was, eventually you would get used to it. You and your mother both. Before then reaching for your IV drip and fiddling with it for a moment.
"We'll talk more soon, when you're more rested," he said. "But for now, it's best you get some sleep. The others will be waiting for you when you wake up."
You tried to protest. Not wanting to talk later or sleep for any longer, but it was too late. Whatever drugs they were pumping you with had quickly taken effect and you felt yourself suddenly starting to drift. Why me? ...Why us? was the last thought on your mind as you felt unconsciousness slowly began to creep in. It's just not fair...
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