One more year went by, which then saw Kayte released from Ambloome’s jail.
Though she hadn’t lost her appetite, the taste seemed rather stale,
With the fear of going back to prison there like something chronic.
Her desire to make her stomach someone’s jail was quite ironic.

Meanwhile Jenyfer and Braisyde had a daughter one year old.
Maura had her mother’s sweetness, and they didn’t need to scold.
She responded well to simple baby talk, and kept obeying.
Both her parents would delight in watching their young baby playing.

Then they hired a babysitter in his twenties, who was free,
In the evenings, when they went on dates. His eyes lit up with glee,
Every time the child was near him. With young children he was gifted
Any worries for their daughter’s care were well and truly lifted.

Nonvor made another visit from the future, and she took
An old friend of hers named Aradee, to take a proper look
At Newtopia in present time (that’s Aradee’s). The honour
Flowed from earthlings (at the old queen) as their gazes fell upon her.

On the outskirts of the city, Aradee was quite amazed
At the colonists, and then the giant woman gladly gazed
At a boy of 17. She asked if he was very busy.
Ken said ‘no,’ and thought the sight of her was making him quite dizzy.

Nonvor went to see Queen Ambloome, while her friend invited Ken
To a visit back at her place; and she told the young lad, when
They arrived, that she was 47, still completely single,
And had never met someone, who really made her senses tingle.

‘But I think you’re so adorable. Now would it be amiss,
If I gave a so much younger man a great big giant kiss’’
She enquired. He said, ‘It wouldn’t be amiss. It’s what I’ve needed
In the disappointing years which so far have preceded.’

So she kissed him. Then he asked if he could stay with Aradee,
Since, as long as he would live, he didn’t think he’d ever see
Such a lovely woman elsewhere. Then she said, ‘I’m idealistic,
And your compliment about me is appealingly realistic.

Back when I was so much younger (though you think I’m stunning now),
I was absolutely gorgeous, and I made a well-kept vow,
That I wasn’t going to sleep around, nor be a shameless hussy.
I would wait for someone special, and I’ve always been so fussy.

You’re that special person, Ken, but I would like to just rewrite
All those years that I have waited, if we carefully practice sleight,
Not of hand, but of the timeline. We’ll ask Nonvor for the first thing:
That we’ll need: a ride through time for you, to years that need reversing.

As a teenager, I lived here, with my parents, who’ve since died.
Would you like to court my younger self, who’d then become your bride’
I’d have Nonvor take you back, and then you’d have the chance to meet me
As I was back then. I’m sure she’d fall in love with you, young sweetie.’

As an extra new precaution for him, Aradee then wrote
(On the smallest piece of paper that would fit) a timely note
To her younger self, in case he needed help substantiating
That he was the one that teenage Aradee should end up dating.

It was written to her younger self, with things that only she
Could have known, to prove the Ken she sent was someone meant to be.
Then she took a photograph of him and her beside an awning,
And advised him to conceal it, with the greatest spoiler warning.

If their courtship went successfully, the shot would contradict
What went on in altered history, But he needn’t be that strict.
Nonvor came to their assistance, and the lady of the present
Kissed him one more time, before his image turned to iridescent.

Ken and Nonvor vanished from her sight, and thirty years ago,
In the afternoon, the garden briefly took on quite a glow,
As the travellers reached the time required, and Nonvor gave the letter
And the picture to him, saying, ‘If I go now, it is better.

I can’t stay here in this time. I shouldn’t meet the teenaged me,
Whom she often asked around to visit here. But you’ll soon see
Both of us as girls your age. I’m glad your heart’s on my old school friend.
If you changed my courtship with the king, you’d make my rightful rule end.’

Nonvor went back to the distant future, where she’d kept her sight
On continuing to care for her new husband Friemann Flyte.
Ken met both the giant girls that afternoon, and started seeing
Lovely Aradee, whose dolls house was his, with her folks agreeing.

When the decades of their marriage brought him back to present day
(To the date of their first meeting, which he knew would ever stay
In his memory, he at last produced the letter and decaying
Hidden photograph, and told her things he’d wanted to be saying.

‘That’s a picture I cannot remember taking!’ she exclaimed,
‘And a letter where so many secret things are really named
In my writing.’ Then he told her of the truth he’d been suppressing
Thirty years ago. She said, ‘My darling, you have been a blessing.

When I think I lived that time alone, a fact I since forgot,
Since, for me, it didn’t happen, I sure owe myself a lot
For conspiring with you, so that we could have this happy rerun.
I was married to an earthling, back when no-one else would see one.’

In the present, which they’d reached by waiting, Alicindra stewed.
She was sure that Kayte’s primeval urge had only been subued.
She would never lose her urge to eat a little earth boy fully,
‘Til she’d done it, but would face the retribution for a bully.

At a LATERALDATE event, Kayte’s Mom was talking to a lad,
Who was 13. When she’d given all the details, Bernard had
An idea. He said, ‘She would have fully satisfied her craving,
If Glin wasn’t rescued. Then you say she’d spend her life behaving’’

‘She assures me it would just be once. I know it sounds absurd,’
Alicindra said, ‘But I can always trust my daughter’s word.’
‘Then it’s easy,’ Bernard said, ‘You simply get your husband Stawmi
To prepare another amulet. My friend will use it for me.

We’ll arrange for Kayte to capture me, while seen by my friend Nick.
She’ll eat me up, and then he’ll simply play a clever trick,
Teleporting to her stomach, fetching me and then escaping.
Kayte will never know, and then her future habits will be shaping.

She’ll have done what she has wanted, which you’ve promised me will purge
Her of any further nagging thoughts to gratify the urge.
I’ll be eaten, in her mind at least. As long as I avoid her,
She won’t ever learn the facts, which this approach should well embroider.’

‘I’m so grateful that you’d do this, and I’ll do my very best
To provide you with a giant girl to love you. I won’t rest.
You will have the full assistance of my team of keen assistants.
When she’s going to eat you, make it more realistic, with resistance.’

So they set Kayte up to fall for this, and she enjoyed the kid.
On occasions when she showed up in the future, Kayte’s Mom hid
Bernard, just in case she recognized the boy she thought concluded.
She would never know the way that Bernard and her Mom colluded.

She would live her life contentedly, with Tennyce, and no more
Would she turn her thoughts to tendancies to be an earthivore.
Tennyce never learned she’d done it, but her mother’s fears were over.
She arranged for young Elizner to seek out a four leaf clover.

Yes, Camylla’s daughter searched the clover leaves, but what she found
Was a tiny boy named Bernard, who was lying on the ground,
Just as Alicindra planned, because the boy she felt indebted
To was keen to meet Elizner, when her photograph was vetted.

Meanwhile Braisyde joined intelligence in Norway, where a case
Led him off to other continents, to travel on a chase
For a deadly foreign agent. When the conflict grew more heated,
Braisyde gave his life, ensuring that the man was still defeated.

Then the agent was arrested and convicted, which was mild
To a grieving widowed Jenyfer, who had an infant child.
Krees her babysitter did his job, which gave her time for crying,
As she wished her husband hadn’t taken on the job of spying.

Maura wouldn’t see her mother’s grief, and still enjoyed some peace,
Which she knew was thanks to all the babysitting done by Krees.
Then she showed him her old amulet, and said, ‘You’ll never burn me.
I can trust you with the truth, if you would like to take a journey.’

Then she took them both to giant world, and into her dolls house,
Where he waited, then stepped out and felt the size of some small mouse,
As she grew to giant size and said, ‘I’m trusting you with all this,
As I love you.’ He responded, giving Jenyfer a small kiss.

Alicindra and Admyra had become the best of chums,

Since Admyra had responded to the beat of legal drums

By dismissing prosecutions by the lawyer named Duguda,

Who’d attacked Kayte’s Mom’s relations with a welcome small intruder.

Alicindra had assisted Judge Admyra’s meeting Bryce,

Paralegal boy from Sydney; and the couples found it nice

To be double-dating frequently, but all of them were feeling

That the shrinking power of Ambloome was the means for some concealing.

So the four consulted Ambloome in their search for good advice.

She informed them of the chance to make the women small as Bryce,

Just as Jenyfer and she had done. Four couples went off touring

To the future, where the radiation baths were most alluring.

Ambloome introduced the other women to the scientists,

Who repeated what they’d done before. When radiation’s mists

Cleared away, the Judge and Kayte’s Mom waited for the special treatment

To enable them to walk the places where the shrunken feet went.

Soon it happened. Now four giant women all could infiltrate

Earth society at earthling size on one quadruple date.

But at first, they just went separately, with Ambloome gladly waiving

Her new rules against those amulets which Stawmi was engraving.

Now that Friemann stayed in future times, the Viking he had trained

As a maker of new amulets (the expert who remained)

Had permission from the queen to make two more to aid the linking

Of their worlds for two more giants who enjoyed the power of shrinking.

Alicindra shrank to earthling size, and Stawmi gladly showed

Her his Viking village haunts, while on an inner Sydney road,

Bryce was pleased to hold Admyra’s hand, and take her to his mansion,

Plan a midnight party for the girls whose size concealed expansion.

That would happen later. Meanwhile, old Duguda, feeling blunt

At the failure of his prosecution, saw a new affront

In construction of the colonies, though little was exerted.

He considered that the Queen’s attention had been too diverted.

So he struck at night and kidnapped several folks from Shangri-Large,

And approached Newtopia as well, where he would quickly barge

Past the giantess who guarded it, and snatched some more insurance:

Representatives of cities. Then he gave a new assurance:

Once he’d fled to his large castle, he made sure they’d not escape,

When he stuck them to the table top, with red adhesive tape.

With the red tape holding them at bay, he told the reigning monarch,

Who approached, “I’ll kill them all before the sky has even gone dark.

If you don’t agree to send the earthlings back to earth, and stick

To our people, I will do these tiny hostages in quick.

If you even try to break in here, I’ll take them all out early.”

They believed his shouted threat and found his disposition surly.

“I’m afraid we’d never get to him in time to help, my liege,”

Said a guard to Ambloome, “He can hold off any feeble siege,

With his guns and all those tiny victims trapped. He’d see us coming.

But perhaps an earthling could sneak in, if we locate the plumbing.”

 “No. He’d be too small to help,” said Ambloome, “Think of that man’s grudge.”

Alicindra talked the matter over with her friend the judge.

Then Admyra (with Kayte’s Mom) both shrank, while Queen and crooked lawyer

Didn’t notice that the castle now had new guests in its foyer.

While the Queen was outside, shouting to Duguda, both would run.

Alicindra grew to giant size, and used Duguda’s gun

To surprise him, while Admyra pulled the red tape off the raiment

Of each hostage. He would never represent another claimant.

Ambloome had the man disbarred and charged with treason, as she said,

“I expected that you would have learned from precedents (instead

Of this madness), like Deevawsidadde and Alban going crazy.

That you’ve thrown your whole career away is something to amaze me.”

It was not yet time for Bryce’s party. Now the man heard, “Hark!

Christmas time is here. He took Admyra walking in Hyde Park

(As in Sydney’s Hyde Park, in Australia). Then the decorations

Of the city’s fine department stores were glowing invitations.

They went walking hand in hand throughout the city, where he bought

Her some jewelry and a dress. He even showed her Sydney court,

Where she watched a minor earth case, as its judge convened the hearing.

Then they toured the town some more with Christmas time forever nearing.

They had lunch, with window views. The restaurant linked two second floors

Of adjacent buildings, like a walkway. Then came Santa Claus,

Whom Admyra hadn’t heard of. She saw children, sitting posing

For their photographs with him. Then came the time for most stores closing.

So they walked up near the gallery, and had a look at art.

Bryce was feeling such exhilaration in his happy heart,

As they walked across the freeway overpass, and through the setting

Of the sun in scenic gardens: moments they’d not be forgetting.

They enjoyed a gardens café, with some juice and apple pie.

When they reached the opera house, the moon was rising in the sky.

Then they caught the harbour ferry to a place they could have gone to

By the train. The wharf looked even better, which they both stepped onto.

As they walked up to the station (Milson’s Point), and caught the train,

Bryce was dying to express to her how much he’d come to gain.

Once they’d crossed the Harbour Bridge, he took her through The Rocks. While walking

In the oldest streets of Sydney, he was still just idly talking.

Then he stopped at the Observatory, when they had climbed the stairs,

And he said, “You’ve been the answer to my worries and my cares,

That I might have gone on lonely. On my last walk here at Christmas,

I could not have had the loveliness of joy for two that this has.

When I walked these places all alone, I struggled with defeat,

Thinking only someone lovely could make all of it complete.

Christmas always left me lonelier, when all my friends went missing

On their holidays, and I was not with someone here for kissing.

“It would not have been enough to just bring any girl along.

We are more than legal servants, who decide the right and wrong.

You’re the special one I’ve waited for, and all that we’ve been doing

Reinvigorates the happiness, that I’ve spent years pursuing.

I’m so happy I could bring you here and show you my town too.

I’m so totally completely in the deepest love with you.”

Then they kissed amidst the city lights, away from giant castles.

She was at his house on Christmas day to open gift wrapped parcels.

In the latter part of January, four giants did reduce,

Came to Bryce’s house at midnight, for a feast, and orange juice.

In the gardens of his mansion, with no music to awaken

Any neighbours, lots of kissing scenes were slowly undertaken:

Alicindra with her husband Stawmi, Judge and husband Bryce,

Ambloome with her husband Lee-John, and the two who’d not seen rice

Thrown yet (Jenyfer and Krees) enjoyed the night, while folks were sleeping.

They were not aware a 13 year old boy had started peeping.

Scout was next door, living with grandparents, and snuck out at night,

In the holidays this once, because the moon was extra bright.

He made use of bushes bordering, where there were still no fences

From his property to Bryce’s, and could not believe his senses.

When a garden light globe broke, and Bryce came back with one so new,

To prevent the need for ladders, Ambloome took a chance and grew

Just enough to reach the second story outside wall’s lamp socket,

Holding Bryce, who changed the globes and put the old one in his pocket.

As he saw her shrinking back to earthling size, the boy was shocked.

Then he bumped a garden ornament, and once it had been knocked,

It fell over with a crash, and all eight adults were alerted

To his presence, and the implications couldn’t just be skirted.

He had seen their secret power. Ambloome filled the youngster in

On the fact that they were giants, who in time could all begin

To reduce themselves and visit earth. Scout wasn’t educated

Of the days of many amulets, when giants came and dated.

She decided he could have one, and a place in Lily-foot

As his second home. He promised they had not unwisely put

Any trust in him. They even let him use the early morning

That remained to party with them, just before the next day dawning.

He’d been orphaned far too late to be among the first main wave

Of the orphans who would take the chance to move that Ambloome gave,

When the colonies were built for Shangri-Large and other cities,

Like Newtopia and Lily-foot by both worlds’ old committees.

He snuck back inside, so glad that he had found a secret group,

Who’d accepted him and shared their secrets and their chicken soup.

He could go to their world any time, which would be so exciting.

Ambloome trusted him to tell no one, and he would do the right thing.

There was something quite upsetting, which a woman quickly sees

In her heart; as Jenyfer could sense a hesitance in Krees.

He was acting like her boyfriend, clearly going through the motion,

But she didn’t really feel that he was there with true devotion.

As she worried more, she took the chance to finally come clean

Of her worries. Then she asked him, “Why the distancing I’ve seen’

Though you hide it well, I feel that you are thinking somewhat coldly,

Every time I put my arms around, and try to make you hold me.

Why can’t we become more physical’ I need to feel you here.

Is there someone else for whom you have more yearning to hold dear’”

“It’s not that,” he said, “I’ve been with someone else and vainly carried

Such a torch for my last girlfriend, who had once been gladly married.

Then divorced, she loved her children so much more than me. It hurt

More than anything I’d ever faced, and then she would dessert

Me, whenever I would try to tell her how much I was needing

Her whole heart. She never softened, even though I took to pleading.

I was not just second place to children. All she really sought

Was a weekly date with me, which left me feeling so distraught,

When she went back to her life, which had no room for integrating

Me as part of one real family, and her children kept on hating.

While I’d been alone, she’d had her marriage. This time she held back,

And I’m scared to get too close to you. I haven’t got the knack

For amusing you a while, and then you’ll mainly think of Maura.

She’s a lovely child, but I’d be in the cold, my heart the poorer.”

“So is that what this is all about’” said Jenyfer, “I won’t

Say that all divorcees make mistakes like that, but Krees, I don’t.

I’m a widow. I’m in love with you. I want to go the distance.

I was never sure you wanted me, but still I tried persistence.

You already have my heart in full. I have a mother’s love

For my daughter, but you needn’t think that I place that above

What I feel for you romantically. There’s nothing ever greater,

Than my heart’s desire to be your wife, though that be soon or later.

I don’t even love you less than Braisyde, maybe even more.

I’m sorry if I didn’t show that, when my grief was raw.

He’s my past. I won’t forget it, but my future’s in our making.

We can have our cake and eat its joy, so long as we’re both baking.”

“Oh I want that too,” he said, “I’m sorry I’ve so long withheld

All my trust. From now on, we can touch each other’s hearts and meld

All the aspects of our lives. There’s not a thing that I find ugly.”

“Come here, darling,” she said, putting out her arms, “Don’t talk. Just hug me.”

Since their courtship born in clover leaves, young Bernard really fell
For Elizner, and assumed she felt the same for him as well.
When they’d been together two months, he soon found Elizner crying:
“Some boy my size says you’re far too small for me to be relying.

He believes he’s in the better of positions to provide
For my future. So I think I need a break ‘til I decide
Whether I should be with him or you. I’m sorry for this nightmare.
If you don’t move out of Shangri-Large, I might still find you right there.”

He was devastated by this news, but didn’t want to press
For commitment or a clean break, lest he cause a greater mess.
So he said, “I’ll hope and wait for you,” so matters wouldn’t worsen.
Then Elizner said, “Whatever happens, you’re a real sweet person!”

To distract himself from anxious waiting (he had no idea
Of duration), he decided to attend a function near
His own home, that Alicindra ran for LATERALDATE soon after.
They had used her giant house, and hung small platforms from the rafter.

So the giantesses walked the room and passed a frequent bite
Of their food to al the platform-boys, who stood at their head height.
There were couples (married through their meetings in the group) attending.
Bernard saw the girl who’d used him for a purpose he’d been lending:

Kayte was in attendance with her boyfriend Tennyce. He and Kayte
Went to different places in the room, so they could circulate,
And have opportunities to talk to other people, sharing
Their own testimonies, telling new folks how they had been faring.

To his great surprise, he found that Kayte moved over to him, quick.
Had she recognized him (as the one she’d eaten, so that Nick
Had then teleported to her stomache, freeing him, misleading
Kayte, who still believed this day that he had satisfied her feeding)’

Would she know that he had been the one, and then feel quite deprived
Of the knowledge that she’d eaten someone, learning he’d survived’
Would she try to get away with it again, or go off, shunting
Bernard’s fate on some new boy, whom she would slyly mark for hunting’

“You’re quite young,” she said, “I hope you meet someone you like, who suits
Your intentions. Would you like to try a chip or smaller fruits’
I’m called Kayte. My mother started LATERALDATE. I chose to marry
Someone your size when, despite his close escape, he chose to tarry.

That’s a story I had best not share in detail; but it’s true.
If I’d give my heart to him, I’m sure there’ll be a girl for you.”
Since he’d never told his name, he introduced himself as Bernard.
He was far too small to recognize, and glad she wasn’t learned.

Only Bernard knew the irony that, here she was polite,
Unaware that she’d once eaten him, and offering a bite,
Still enjoying happy dating and the joys of life which followed
What she thought had been consumption of the boy whom she had swallowed.

She would never volunteer the facts nor feel some small regret;
And he wouldn’t let her know that Nick had used an amulet
To release him then. So here he stood and feigned the role of stranger,
With his mind not on Elizner, now excited by the danger.

Bernard quite enjoyed her company and quickly gained her trust.
So she shared the story of the day her Mom had come, to bust
In on Kayte’s attempt at eating Tennyce. She was effervescent,
As she told how they had courted. Bernard found the whole night pleasant.

In a way he envied Tennyce. Though they both had been a lump
Of potential food, at least Kayte never even thought to dump
Him as callously as Bernard’s former girlfriend had enacted
Separation. Bernard understood why Tennyce was attracted.

While these matters were developing on earth, Elizner chose
To return to seeing Bernard. When she told him so, he froze.
“Well I’m back,” she said, “I’ve made my choice. You’re one I can’t be leaving.”
“But for weeks you let me think you could, and left me hurt and grieving.

You have broken all my trust. You should have been completely sure
That you only wanted me, not giant boys, way back before
You were poisoned by suggestions that a giant boy was better.
Someone almost ate her husband once, and I’m so glad I met her.

That was just before they started dating. He still asked her out.
Though her Mom had stopped her dining plans, that girl was still devout
In her love for him. She married him, which gives me new perspective
On a girl who cuts and runs for weeks, and tries to be selective.”

It was over for Elizner, though she hadn’t told the boy
(Her own size) of her decision. So she played a desperate ploy,
Telling him that he was her first choice. So neither boy suspected
That she settled for the giant boy, once she had been rejected.