✅ My Cousin's Keeper [NaNoWriMo 2021]

32. My Omelette

"Hello guys!" Frances's voice came from the front door. I jumped in my seat, and Tess giggled a little. "Did you have fun without me? Been up to anything interesting?"

"No, no," Tess mumbled.

"Nothing interesting," I confirmed. "Tess put her laundry on, and we've been talking about actors. The casting differences between those two films. Nothing important."

"Of course. All the small talk seems to happen when I'm out of the room. You don't need to be embarrassed in front of me, you know? If you admit what you're feeling, perhaps I can help you with it. But I won't do anything until you tell me that's what you want."

I was cheering on this inside. She was probably talking about Tess's bedwetting problem, if I knew my girlfriend. But after all the things I had just said, it would be easy for Tess to think that Ffrances was talking to me. Reaffirming all the things I had just told Tess, confirming that my girlfriend would be happy to help me be a teen again if I could just get over some of my old hangups enough to ask.

"We talked about getting over stuff as well. All the demons lurking in my subconscious from people I'll never see again."

"She apologised," Tess translated. That wasn't quite what I had meant, but I could see how it would make sense in her mind. It would probably seem logical to both of them, so it spared me the hassle of having to explain any more about the things that had made me uncomfortable in the past.

"Well, I've got some interesting news," Ffrances said with a chuckle. "And if peace between you two has been restored, then perhaps I could give you a little treat. One of you, or both. I found something when I was tidying up yesterday, and it gave me a whole bunch of ideas. Would you like to find out what I was thinking of?"

"Well..." Tess started out hesitantly. I'd asked her to ask, of course, but she must know that she couldn't say anything until she knew what Ffrances had found. I didn't want her to mention that I had already disclosed a part of the secret.

"Don't worry," Ffrances said with a smile. "I'll show you what I found once lunch is cooking, and then you two can tell me your thoughts while we eat. I've been out a lot longer than I expected this morning."

I glanced at the clock and saw that she was right. Nearly noon already, and I couldn't help thinking about where the conversation might go after we had eaten. It felt like all of my dreams were coming true, and all I could do was hope that they both reacted like I had expected.

I couldn't wait while we ate; and I didn't mind when the creative hubbub of three separate opinions finally found compromise in a lunch of omelettes with fried rice. It was a lot more effort than anything I would have offered, it didn't take us too long. I like to think that working together to prepare a more complex meal might have made it easier to trust each other, a good warmup for the next few hours in the next few hours.

"Now," Ffrances said, showing what I thought of as her predator smile. It always excited me when she was in that kind of mood, but I wasn't sure quite how I should be feeling today. I was excited to be preparing Tess for her life as a baby; and I was excited in a very different way to see what Ffrances was planning to do to me later. If I couldn't keep my thoughts clean, it would be a lot harder to focus on all the things that I would need to say in order to ensure that this day went well. I took a deep breath, and then smiled.

"Now?" I asked.

"Yes, now. I found something interesting when I was tidying up the box room yesterday, and I wonder if you've seen it."

She dropped the photograph onto the table. I leaned closer, and so did Tess. I'd seen it before, I knew every detail of the outfits we'd been wearing on that day, one of the last times I'd actually seen Tess before our families had their big schism. That image of Tess had always been the one in my mind as I thought about her moving here, and it was hard to believe that she was finally ready to accept her role; at least for a little while. We would play at being those ages again, trying to relive a moment we'd both loved, and I knew that would be the key to making her release her inner child. Once she'd tried it, I knew just how to keep Tess from going back to her obstinate-teen phase.

"We look so happy there," Tess said, and she looked happy as well. If she was just playing along, then she was a better actor than I'd given her credit for. "I mean... I hardly remember that, but it must have been a good time."

"It was," I said. "You loved spending time with family. And then everything changed. The adults have a lot to answer for."

"Exactly," Ffrances gave a little giggle. She understood now. She could see the proof right in front of her that Tess genuinely wanted to be a real baby, and she was just hoping for an outright request. Everything was going perfectly. "Did you know you've still got those clothes upstairs? All packed away, and the toys that are in the picture as well. It's pretty amazing. I thought maybe, if you don't mind a trip down memory lane for the sake of following a dumb trend, we could go out to the back garden and try to recreate that photo. See how much you've changed over the years."

"That's..." I tried to hide my excitement. "That would be embarrassing. I'd be terrified of anyone I know from work seeing it."

"I promise, they'll never know. This is only for our eyes, just to see if those clothes still suit you. If changing back to that outfit makes you look young again. If Tess doesn't think it's too weird, of course."

"No, no," Tess stammered, like she'd suddenly remembered the part she agreed to play. "That sounds like... Can we do that together? Like we both go back to that age. But like, only if you do it too. I'd love to see you dressed up like that. Then I can hold onto the photo, and if you're getting at me for not acting my age, I have the perfect answer."

I almost laughed there. Of course, she'd be more embarrassed if anyone else saw the images. But she really thought she might test my commitment. She was letting me know just how much I would owe her if we did this thing, and I knew that would be fine for me.

"Well, if it's something you want to do..." I mumbled. "I guess I can face a little embarrassment if it's something you'll enjoy. I'd do anything for my family." As I spoke I glanced back and forth between the two faces. Ffrances would know that I was testing Tess, making absolutely sure that this was what she really wanted. And to Tess's eyes, it would seem like I was putting on a show of reluctance to something I really wanted; something I could only bring myself to indulge by using her as an excuse. Everything was going perfectly now.

"Yes," Tess said with a smile. "Yes, please. Playing dress-up at your age, I might start thinking you really are a child." I just nodded, and played up the embarrassment a little. She needed to be the one to take the first step if I wanted Ffrances to help with pushing her, but I was sure she would say something now we'd come this close.

"Well, if you're both a little embarrassed about it, I can help with that. Gabby's told you I'm a qualified hypnotist, right? If you need some help with getting over your inhibitions, I could give you a temporary suggestion to keep you from being so embarrassed. To help you feel like you really are getting younger, as well as looking the part. So you could enjoy it like you did back then."

I couldn't help smiling then. I said something about that being too extreme, about being a little scared, but there was no way I could have hidden how much I wanted it. Tess saw the smile, saw the eagerness in my pose, and she knew that was her cue. And this time my surprise was genuine; I'd expected a little ageplay, but I'd never thought it would be Ffrances who suggested adding hypnosis into the mix. But perhaps she was thinking about what I'd already told her, about using hypnosis to cause bedwetting, and she wanted to give the little one an opportunity to ask.

I waited for Tess to respond. I was sure what her answer could be, because I'd done my best to persuade her earlier. But this time, I was starting to think that she was seriously considering whether she would enjoy this now. If she decided that she did, I wouldn't even need the rest of my plan; and I would be happier than ever to be proved wrong.