TTW: Sixteen (Patreon)

Thomas's heart sank as Agatha told them about the switchback.

"Now, that said, it is rare for a swap like this, especially due to Amethyst wine, to be permanent."

"So there's a chance we might switch back?" Thomas said.

Agatha nodded. "Yes. There's a chance."

"How long will zee effect last?" Esmerelda said.

Agatha shrugged. Hard to say. Depends on the quality, consistency, and purity of the wine. How much did he drink?"

"A cup."

"A full cup?" Agatha swore. "Jesus, Mary and Joseph!"

"That iz bad?" Esmerelda said.

"Dear, we measure Amethyst wine by the drop. A few drops here, a few drops there. No wonder his consciousness was completely unbound! He probably was about to explode from the effects!"

"I was about to explode!" Thomas said. Her voice really sounded nice in her ears. She wondered if she could sing now.

You sing beautifully, daughter.

Thank you, Mother.

The tree mother and her had been having conversations since Joe had left. It was like being in communion with an intense, loving, caring, sentient being. The tree of life had been comforting her, and it felt nice to be accepted, loved, cherished—

"Thomas?" Esmerelda said.

"Hmm?" Thomas said. It was getting difficult to pay attention to these, creatures.

"Did you 'ear what, Agatha, zaid?"

"Sorry, the Tree Mother was speaking to me."

"Oh she was talking to you?" Joe said. "Did she talk about me?"

"I don't think she knows what has happened."

Of course, I know.

I know, Mother, but he doesn't need to know you know.

Of course he know's I know. But I suppose we don't have to let him know we know he knows.

Exactly.

Thomas giggled.

Joe rolled his eyes, but didn't say anything.

"Thomas!" Esmerelda said.

"What!" Thomas responded.

"Did you hear what Agatha said?"

"No?" she thought about it. "Yes? I don't know. What did you say again?"

"This happened when Joe first turned, also. It comes from having nothing but sawdust between her ears."

"Hey!" Thomas pouted. "That was mean!"

"You do have nothing but sawdust between your ears, though," Joe said.

"Really?" Thomas said.

Esmerelda walked up to Thomas and slapped her across the face. "Leesten to what Agatha 'as to zay, you ztoopid girl!"

"Ow!" Thomas put a hand to her cheek. It was so smooth. She looked at Joe and wondered what his beard would feel like against her skin.

"I get it now," Thomas said, looking at Joe.

"The beard. Am I right?"

"So right."

Agatha, her patience at an end, stamped her foot. "Thomas! How long from when you drank the Amethyst wine did the swap occur?"

She scratched her head. Time had changed meaning for her. What once had seemed like a very long time indeed, only seemed like a few minutes now.

"It's hard to know…"

Agatha nodded. "But if you could give an estimate."

It was exactly 48.7 phytos Sol.

"Um, the tree mother says it was exactly 48.7 Phytos Sol?"

"Thank the Lord for someone with a little common sense," Agatha said. "Can you ask the Tree Mother how she was able to know that number?"

You said you did not fall asleep after your lovemaking session, correct?

Correct.

You were running at a sprint, which I estimate to be .224 lunar marks, and you had approximately .0874 revsol to run. I estimate another .7 phytos sol for the run from your house, and the love making session at 1.2 phytos sol, which is generous considering the men Joe occasionally brought. You were here for exactly 46.8 phytos sol, so…yes. 48.7 give or take .05 phytos sol.

Thomas repeated the information.

"And how long have you been in Joe's body?"

Exactly 12.4 phytos sol.

Thomas repeated the number for the group.

Agatha nodded. "Well, I know that fifty phytos is approximately 12 hours, so you've been in her body for a little over three hours. If these things run in cycles, which they tend to do, I would think you have about 8.7 hours left, if you swap back at the same time you swapped forward."

"And what if we don't?" Thomas said.

"Well, tonight is the last night of the full moon. I'd say you'd have another shot in another 30 days."

"Would serve you right to suffer zat," Esmerelda said.

"MEAN!" Thomas said, pouting.

"Esmerelda,' Agatha said. "With your permission, I would like to take my husband home, and enjoy his possibly very short time as a human being again."

"I think she wants a good shtupping, Joe," Thomas said.

Joe gave him a grin.

"Agatha, you will enzure 'e doez not get on a boat back to Zeattle?"

"I promise. Even if I have to be the one to hogtie him."

"Very well," she said in a small voice.

Agatha and Joe walked away. I saw Agatha had a prim little grin on her face.

Esmerelda looked at Joe, pain on her face.

"I'm sorry, babe," Thomas said. "I didn't mean for—"

"Shut up!" Esmerelda walked over to her. They were more of a height now, than they had been.

"Do you 'ave any idea 'ow 'ard zis 'as been on moi?"

"I know, babe. I'm sorry."

"Zorry?" she looked at him with wide, furious eyes. "You are zorry? What, exactly, am I zupposed to do if you are ztuck like zat?"

Thomas shrugged, looking down.

"You 'ave no consideration for anyone but yourzelf!"

"Come on," Thomas said. "That's not fair."

"Why did you drink ze wine? Hm? Why?"

"I'm not actually sure…"

"That iz what I mean. You 'ave no—"

"No, babe. Listen to me. I don't know why I drank the wine!"

"What you mean?"

Thomas paced, something she did whenever she had a hard problem to solve. "Babe, what was I doing when you came into the room?"

"Staring into zat mirror on ze desk."

She grabbed her arm. "I don't remember that!"

Esmerelda's face became a bit more animated. "You didn't 'ear me call from downztairs, did you?"

"No, it was…weird. I felt like I was…dreaming or something."

"Ze mirror…I zink it might 'ave been glowing when I first walked in."

"Babe, I think there's something going on with that mirror. Something more than we know about."

"It was not like you to drink ze wine. And not like you to…make ze love to me like zat, either."

"Yeah, I thought it was weird at the time too. It was like I was possessed or something."

"I will go back and check ze mirror. You are zaying zat you did not drink ze wine on purpose?"

"No, babe. I would never do that. I mean, how would I even know what it was? It could have been poison or something."

"Zat…makes sense." She sighed, taking Thomas in her arms. "I am zorry for getting mad at you. I find myzelf getting zo angry at zings. I need to work on zat as well."

"It's okay." She hugged her tighter. Ugh, Joe was right, if Esmerelda asked her to make love right now she would do it. "You know, there's a lovely little tree house up there with a very soft bed we could explore this—"

"I am ztill zore from last night." Esmerelda broke their hug.

"Okay," Thomas said.

"And I really don't…well. Let uz zee what happenz tonight. If ze zwapback doez not occur, we may need to explore ze treehouse."

"Fair enough," Thomas said and gave her a soft smile.

"You really are beautiful, like zat. It makes my heart hurt."

"Why?"

"Becauze I know you uzed to look at me like zat. When I waz beautiful."

"Babe, you are so beautiful, even now."

"I am not. But merci beaucoup."

"You're welcome."

"I will find out about ze mirror. And I will be back in eight hourz."

"I'll be here."

Esmerelda gave her a soft kiss, then walked away.

Thomas watched her leave, sadly. Then melted back into the trunk of the Tree of Life.