This choice: Claire and her mother have swapped bodies (David’s POV). • Go Back...Chapter #7Claire and her mother have swapped bodies (Davi... by: Wassel   "Now... You do understand what I'm telling you, don't you, David?" The doctor's words echoing within your head. Having never imagined, after visiting your big brother with the rest of your family, that you'd discover what you had on going to see Claire. Even now, many hours later. Having initially been told that both her and her mom were just fine, and that their injuries were no worse than yours. Which had amounted to a bruise on your right shoulder from where the seat-belt had done its job. And even that wasn't too sore.
This story soon changing however, once Dr. Kerry had taken you to one side. Explaining that your girlfriend and her mother's condition had actually been a lot, lot worse. The impact from the truck having caused irreversible brain damage to them both. Brain damage that would have left them in a vegetative state for the rest of their lives. This obviously coming as a huge shock. Though not as much as what he told you next. Both Kerry and Saunders apparently being super geniuses when it came to the brain and were able to do things that no other doctors could even dream of. Which in this case was to prevent this from happening and save them both. By performing some sort of weird, experimental and super advanced brain surgery on them both. Involving swapping parts of their brains in order to regrow and repair the damaged tissue. Which, at only 14 years of age and being terrible at biology, went way, way over your head. Not understanding one bit of it. Regardless, it had worked. The two doctors had actually succeeded. Only... as Kerry then told you with a heavy heart... not quite in the way that they had expected. Their being complications of a sort. Which, on hearing was this 'complication' was, made you just about burst out laughing. In both amazement and in shock. Feeling as if he was now playing some kind of prank.
He wasn't though. He assured you of that. Instead what had happened was, after the surgery was successful and the two Frankenstein brains were back in full working order, the doctors found them impossible to separate again. Leaving a part of Claire's brain permanently fused to her mother's, and a part of her mother's permanently fused to Claire's. Which, due to their thoughts and memories being located in those very specific parts, resulted in the world's first ever body swap. Your girlfriend now being her mom and vice versa. Like that terrible comedy movie you'd watched one time. This news leaving you suddenly feeling rather faint.
Which was of course where this question had come in. Dr. Kerry wanting to be sure that you had actually taken this information in, and that the person you were about to visit, wasn't actually Claire. It was her mom.
Stuttering in response to this, "I, uh... I thu-think so." Despite this feeling of faintness, and despite the fact that you had no idea what exactly this would mean. For you as well as them. Having perhaps only been dating Claire for three months (after she had made the first move), but you'd been into her a whole lot longer than that. Being the coolest, most awesome, bad-ass chick you'd ever met or could ever hope to meet. 'Puppy-love', as your own mother often joked, definitely not being how you'd describe your feelings for her at all. But now she was her mom. Mrs. Strickland, or Mindy as she frequently reminded you to call her, being kind of cool in her own way. For someone that age at least. Being a good 5 or 6 years older than your own parents. Divorced, or possibly never even married to Claire's dad. Either way the two of them currently lived alone. With Mindy being super laid back and easy going. Almost in a hippyish-type way. Which is where you assumed Claire got her 'didn't give two fucks what anyone else thought' attitude from. Being a pretty wild and free spirited girl herself. A free spirit that had gained over 30 years in under 12 hours. That was an old lady now, instead of the super pretty teenage girl she was supposed to be.
And not only that, but the next bombshell that the doctor dropped was that they'd already agreed to swap lives. Pretend to be one another in public so that nobody else would ever find out. So that their faces wouldn't end up plastered all over social media and on the news. Or worse. Be locked away in some secret government laboratory to be experimented on. Which obviously neither of them wanted, and neither did you. You, who they had decided was the only other person that they wanted to tell. Not only because of your relationship with Claire, but so that there was someone else to help them fit into their new roles. Mindy having no idea how to be a 14 year old or how a modern school worked. Whereas you did. Being able to assist with all that without it looking suspicious. What with you being her 'boyfriend'. A thought that make you feel extremely uncomfortable and weird. Having to actually 'date' your girlfriend's mom. Eugh.
Still, you'd agreed to go along with this, and were even made to sign some paperwork stating as much before you were allowed to see them. Being led inside a hospital room to find exactly what you'd been expecting to see. Which was your girlfriend sat up in bed, looking much like she always did, while her mother sat on a nearby chair. Both of them dressed in the same drab green hospital gown that Tim was, holding onto each other's hand as you entered.
"David!" her mom's face immediately lit up. In an altogether uncharacteristic fashion. Just about jumping up off her seat. Her eyes wide and filled with affection, while her long, dark brunette (almost verging on black) locks swung wildly. Rushing directly towards you and pulling you into a hug. Her slim but curvy figure pressing into yours. In a much more intimate and familiar manner than what you were used to. Which you of course quickly realized was because this was in fact Claire.
Not that it made it any less awkward. Feeling even more unsettled actually witnessing this first hand. As you were throughout the entire visit. Witnessing 'Claire' acting like her mother and her 'mother' acting like her. Finding it, at times, almost too much for your brain to process. Having a rather difficult time following who exactly it was that was speaking. Or stopping yourself from staring at them both as if they were some never before seen species. Your eyes lingering on Claire's soft, youthful and somewhat rounded face. That still carried just a hint of baby fat. Her lip piercing, signature dark eyeshadow and lipstick having all been removed (presumably for the surgery). While the pink and purple streaks that decorated her hair were still in tact. Those streaks that you'd always thought looked awesome. It feeling so strange to gaze into her hazel colored eyes knowing that she wasn't actually in there. Instead being behind her mother's brown ones. The ones with the crows feet and the age lines.
Despite this, and despite how overwhelmed the three of you clearly were, Claire was glad that you knew. Finding great comfort in having you here with her. Even though, as the balding doctor had explained outside, things from here on out were obviously going to be very, very different...
That having all happened several hours ago. Before your mother had come looking for you, and had a very brief conversation with Claire and Mindy herself. Completely unaware of what exactly was going on. Which meant that the three of you had to play along. Acting like everything was normal. Which felt incredibly deceitful. Especially as the person that you were attempting to fool was your mom. It had worked though. And before she dragged you away, 'Claire' told you that she'd give you a call later. What with there obviously being a whole lot more to work out and discuss. After which you and your family headed for home via taxi. With you saying nothing for the entirety of the ride. Simply staring out of the window. Trying your very best to make sense of everything that you'd experienced inside. The doctor's question still very much repeating. "Now... You do understand what I'm telling you, don't you, David?"
Your answer being much different to the one you'd given earlier. I dunno. I really don't know. Having no idea how anyone could possibly ever hope to understand any of that. What the two of them being in each other's bodies meant right now, nor what it would mean for the future. It being freaking crazy! And unfortunately not something that you could ever share. Not even with your own family.
Having no one then to turn to and ask, "Can it even work? Will I actually be able to spend my life pretending like my girlfriend (who you'd just gotten pretty good at making out with) is that nice but kooky lady who turns a blind eye whenever we watch R-rated movies? And that the girl that I'm currently dating and completely crazy about is actually her?" Instead having to figure this out alone.
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