Fades Chapter 11 (End) (Patreon)

Chapter 11.

"Todd,” Sarah called, “can I ask you something?”

“Sure mom.”

“There is a girl I like at school, Piper. I asked her out, but she keeps saying 'No'.”

“I know Piper.”

“How do I get her to go out with me?”

“If she doesn't like you, you can't make her.”

“I know she would like me if she went out with me.”

“You can't force her. “

“But I want to go out with her so bad. I really like her a lot.”

“What have you tried?”

“I phoned her, and I've asked her in person.”

“How did you do that?”

“I just went up to her and asked her.”

“Is that it? Where were you going to ask her to go?”

“I didn't get that far.”

“You have to plan these things out. Have a place to take her.  Make sure it's a place she wants to go.  It couldn't hurt if you have a gift too.”

“A gift?”

“Yeah, like flowers.”

“I didn't think of that.”

“Worth a shot.”

“OK.”

Sarah thought of what Todd told her.  The first step is to find out where Piper would like to go.

Sarah phoned Doris, Piper's mother. Sarah and Doris had been friends for a long time.

“Hi, Doris.”

“Hi, Sarah.”

“What's up?”

“Not a whole lot. You know.”

After making small talk, Sarah got to the heart of the matter. “I want to take Piper out. Could you tell me what she likes?”

“What does she like?”

“You know where she would like to go.”

“I know there is a movie she is looking forward to. She asked me if I could take her.”

“Which movie?”

“Autumn's Love”

“I wouldn't mind seeing that too. I could take her to that.”

“If you like.”

Sarah had a problem. She couldn't drive anymore. Everyone knew at fifteen, she was too young to have a driver's license. Todd didn't have one either, he had never taken lessons. Reality had changed such that Richard often helped Todd with the groceries. Richard didn't mind doing it, it was another excuse to spend time with Todd. Richard and Todd had become closer since the last swap. There wasn't any reason to wait for Todd to get older or graduate from high school before they could get married. Richard was looking for a ring to give to Todd. Once he got it, Richard would arrange for the perfect opportunity to ask Todd to marry him.

Sarah would have to take the bus to get herself and Piper to the movie.

Richard picked up Todd after work. Todd had been waiting for him. Todd was wearing a polo shirt with the shortest shorts he had. He wore it with sneakers and no-show socks. Todd considered his middle-aged woman's legs his best feature. He knew that Richard liked them. Therefore, Todd showed them off at every opportunity.

Richard picked up Todd on the day they did their weekly grocery shopping.  But instead of taking Todd to the local market, he took Todd to the DMV.

“What are we doing here?”

“It's time you learn to drive! Let's get you a learner's permit.”

Richard was right. Todd didn't know why he had waited so long. Richard was always thinking ahead. That was one of the things that Todd loved about him. Todd knew in his heart that Richard would ask him to marry him. Todd knew that he would say 'Yes' when asked. He would just have to wait until Richard asked him. If it was up to Todd, he would ask Richard first.

Getting a learner's permit wasn't very hard. All that Todd had to do was answer a few questions. The questions were mostly obvious. He passed the written test and exited the DMV with a learner's permit. Todd was so overjoyed that he flew into Richard's arms and kissed him. It was a very sweet scene.

“Can I drive to the market?” Todd asked now that he had his learner's permit.

“OK, but drive very slowly and do everything I tell you.”

“Yes, sir,” Todd told him with a mischievous smile.

The market wasn't that far. Todd made it there without much trouble. Todd and Richard would see even more of each other as they added time for driving lessons into both their schedules.

Sarah bought herself some flowers for Piper. Then she walked over to Piper's house. On the way, she practiced what she was going to say to her.

“Piper, I heard you want to see Autumn's Love. Would you like to go with me? Oh, and these are for you.”

That didn't sound right. She tried again. “Piper, I have some flowers for you. Would you like to go to Autumn's Love with me?”

That didn't sound right either. “Here,” she would say as she gave Piper the flowers. “Would you like to see Autumn's Love with me Saturday?”

Before she knew it Sarah was at Piper's door. She rang the bell. Piper didn't answer, but Doris did.

“I'm here to see Piper.”

“Piper, it's for you,” Doris called out.

Piper came down. She wasn't happy to see Sarah at the door.

“Here,” Sarah said as she handed Piper the flowers. “I'm going to see Autumn's Love on Saturday. Would you like to come with me?”

“Ummm.”

“Go ahead,” Doris encouraged Piper. “I know you want to see that.”

Piper was on the spot. She didn't want to say yes. Sarah was OK, but she wasn't her type.

“I'll pay. I'll buy the popcorn and stuff too,” Sarah explained.

“I don't know. I might have something on Saturday.”

“You'll have a good time. I promise.”

“Look, Sarah. I think you're nice. I just don't think of you that way. I don't think we should go out.”

Sarah's heart sank. She could feel it in her stomach. It was physical pain.

“Oh, I'm sorry.”

Sarah turned to walk away. There wasn't anything to do. It was a very long walk home.

Sarah was crying by the time she entered her house. Todd was there. He knew what must have happened. He had been young once and he knew how it felt to be young and in love.

“Mom, are you alright?” Todd asked sympathetically.

“No!”

“What happened?” Todd already knew, but he knew that talking it out sometimes helps.

“I w-w-went over-over there and I asked Piper out.” Sarah's sobbing made it hard to talk. “She doesn't want to go out with me.”

“I understand. You can't make her love you.”

“But I love her so much.”

“I know you do. But she isn't the right person for you.”

“She is! She is!”

“Honey, I promise one day you'll find the right person.”

Piper is the right person.”

“I know you think she is, but if she doesn't feel for you then she isn't”

Todd tried to comfort his mother.

Seeing the anguish on his mother's face broke Todd's heart. The tears were doubly evident as they were also ruining Sarah's makeup from her eyes down her cheeks.

After a while, an idea dawned on Sarah. Hope-filled her eyes for a moment.

“Todd, if I was a boy she would love me.  Todd, you told me you could swap traits with anyone. Swap us!”

“I'm sorry honey, but I don't think it'll help. You asked her three times, she doesn't love you.”

“But if I was a boy she would.”

“No, she wouldn't. She's got to love you for you.”

“But I'm sure if I was a boy, she would love me.”

“No.”

“Please.”

“No.”

“PLEASE!!!” Sarah said more urgently.

Todd had made many swaps. Not just the three he had with his mother, but he had changed in many ways. His hair was long now, he was a ginger, his penis was smaller than it was before, his eye color had changed many times, and there were other swaps. But Todd didn't remember any of those.

The only thing he remembered was the times when people refused to swap with him for a myriad of reasons. Todd felt he had to refuse his mother now. He believed that a swap wouldn't help. Even if it did, when he swapped back, Piper wouldn't love Sarah anymore. It was best not to do what mom wanted.

“It won't help. You have to find a person who loves you as you are.”

“You are only saying that because you found the perfect man.”

“I love Richard and Richard loves me. There wasn't any magic done to make that happen. I promise it'll happen for you too.”

“When?”

“I don't know. But it will happen. Believe me.”

“No, it won't!”

“When I was your age there was this man, his name was Martin, Martin Robinette. Anyway, he was so cute and I fell in love instantly when I saw him...”

Todd told Sarah the story. The tale had happened to Sarah before being swapped to Todd. Now, it's Todd's story.

“Do you think I will find true love?” Sarah asked.

“I am sure of it. You just have to give it time. You are very young.”

Sarah was starting to feel better.

The next day at school, when Sarah saw Piper the pain was still there. It would be there for a while, but Sarah had come to the realization that Piper would never go out with her. She had to move on.

When Richard was ready, he took Todd out to a fancy dinner and a show. He had arranged everything to the last detail. At one point when they were alone, Richard got down on one knee.

Todd knew what Richard was about to do. Todd felt as nervous as Richard did. He wanted to say 'Yes!' immediately but had to wait until Richard finally asked him.

“Todd, I have been thinking about my life. I was wondering how it would be to live without you in my life. I just couldn't bear it. I want to see you every day. I want to see you every night. I want you to be the first thing I see in the morning and the last thing I see when I go to sleep. WILL YOU MARRY ME?”

'YES, YES, OF COURSE, YES!” Todd yelled and flew into Richard's arms.

Richard was still kneeling and rose to catch Todd. The pair hugged and kissed. It was very romantic.

Richard finally had the opportunity to slip the engagement ring on Todd's finger.

“I love it,” Todd enthused. Continuing he said, “...and I love you. I always will!”

“I love you too.”

“Let's go home and show mom.”

”It's late. Will she be up?”

“Maybe, she does have school in the morning.  I don't care, we'll wake her up and show her.”

End.

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