Reassessing the Situation

Seated in Janine’s mother’s car in the school lot, the blonde looked over to the brunette. “You know where ‘safely’ tucked away meant? Right?” she asked, turning the fob in the ignition. There was a little stab of jealousy in her, a little green eyed monster.

Tess chuckled, “Oh yeah, no I know. We are talking about Tom after all, he’s like a human dousing rod for vaginas,” she said without masking the exasperation she felt, fastening her safety belt.

Janine grinned, “What if we put a magnet on his back, you know like one of those peel and stick ones? We could call him a pussy magnet,” she offered, trying to keep the mood light.

Tess giggled, “At least if we did that we could keep him stuck to the fridge that way we’d know where he was at all times,” she replied.

“I know, right?” Janine laughed back, though that little voice in the back of her mind suggested another more personal location he could take up full time residence in. But, she reminded herself, only if he wanted to.

“I remember the night of the party when I found him gone, oh I was so mad, but also so worried because all the girls were there and I thought for sure the silly bugger was going to get stepped on,” Tess said. “He had got a horseshoe up his butt for sure.”

Chortling, “Not just that, I remember that same night when I woke up and felt something crawling on me, I had no idea what it was, a mouse, a spider, what, I just swatted it. Lucky he didn’t killed there either. Now he’s tiny again, I have the very distinct feeling your mom is not going to be very happy,” Janine commented, wrinkling her face.

Nodding her head, “If he’s lucky, it might only be just a magnet she puts on him,” Tess answered. “More than likely some type of leash.”

At the mention of leash, unbidden Janine’s mind drifted back to the little collar she specifically had constructed for him, amongst other things. Now that he was small again, she was resolved to try and be more conscientious, more responsible and reciprocal in her interactions with Tom. Knowing there were so many things they could still share and do together and new things to explore with the size differential brought a smile to her face.

“You got lost there a moment,” Tess commented.

“Sorry,” Janine chuckled. Arriving at the house, she pulled into the drive and parked before the pair entered the house. They were greeted at the door by Marta and redirected the duo to join their mothers in the sitting room overlooking the backyard.

“I don’t hear yelling,” Tess murmured as they made their way down the hall.

Emerging from the hall, both mothers appeared calm, each seated on a different couch, their faces pictures of composure.

Waiting for the girls to sit, “Thomas?” Ella asked Tess, a smile on her lips though no humor in her emerald eyes as she scanned her daughter’s face.

Raising her hands, “First off, he has been found and he is alright,” she reassured. “Second, yes, he has had a bit of a set back and has unfortunately reverted back to being the same size he had been. At the moment, he is currently with the teacher who was tutoring him the last time he was small and she will be here very shortly with him. When we couldn’t locate him, we asked for her help and she found him, so like I said she’ll be here soon,” Tess explained, not quite sure what type of emotional response she was going to get form her mother.

For her part, Ella nodded, “So he is once more little?” she inquired, voice level normal as she held up her hand, thumb and forefinger apart to indicate size.

Tess nodded once, “Yes,” she confirmed, “though we weren’t specifically told his size, but I think it’s safe to assume it was the same, Miss Harwood didn’t really say,” she added, looking to Janine who nodded in confirmation.

“I see,” Ella acknowledged, nodding her head. “You know for certain he is uninjured?”

Tess exchanged another glance with Janine before answering, “Again when we asked Miss Hartwood if he was okay, she said ‘Yes.’”

“She said ‘Safe and sound,’” Janine stated, quoting the teacher.

Also nodding, Lina spoke, “It is good he isn’t hurt. We may want to reconsider the option of taking Tom to see Dr. Holmstrom,” she offered, immediately wondering if it was too soon to re-table the idea.

“Yes, at least there is that,” Ella replied, nodding, “thought first I think I need to see he is okay,” she added.

Absolutely,” Lina concurred, finding the situation bittersweet. Bitter that Tom was again tiny, sweet, in all the delightful things that he could do while small. The question was whether or not Raphaella would permit her son out of her sight. Plus, she strongly suspected she would be vying with her daughter as undoubtedly Janine was possessed of similar thoughts.

“Miss Harwood said she would have him within the hour,” Tess informed.

“I think maybe it would wise to see if the nurse could be here too to assess his condition,” Ella suggested.

“Of course, I’ll text her straightaway,” Lina agreed, pulling out her phone.

Raphaella nodded, drawing out her own phone.

“Any word on grandfather?” Tess asked.

Ella shook her head but didn’t look up while she composed a message, “Not as of yet. Your aunt is still at the hospital,” she said.

“Okay,” Tess said.

Lina looked up from her phone, “Cassidy said she is on her way,” she advised.

“Good,” Ella said, dispatching her message and looking up. “I have advised Harrison of the situation,” she added. Given the disappearance of Tom Sr. and the scarcity of the materials needed to enervate his defunct device, she knew her only viable option for the restoration of her son lie in the hands of Karolina Lindholm. While she doubted the woman intended malice toward her son, the question plaguing her was whether or not she could trust the woman and how far.