Birthday Wishes
“Excuse me,” the mother called out to the waiter as he passed by the table for two. “I wanted to let you know we have a birthday over here,” she said, gesturing to her daughter.
“All right, one birthday,” the waiter said with a beaming smile.
“Actually,” the eight year old girl called out. “It’s two birthdays!” she said as she pointed back at her mom.
“Wow, you two were both born on the same day?” the waiter asked, and both mother and child nodded in reply. “All right, two birthdays coming up.” Soon, two scoops of ice cream were presented, along with blazing candles and an artless rendition of “Happy Birthday” by a trio of waitstaff.
“What will you wish for, Christie?” her mother, Sandy, asked.
“I don’t know. I wish I wasn’t turning eight. I wish I was all grown up,” the girl said with a bubbly exuberance.
Sandy was turning 40 years old, and she couldn’t help but wish for a different number for herself as well. She longed for the days of her youth, back when she was young, beautiful, and bereft of all responsibilities. She was glad, at least, that she had a close relationship with her child. After her husband had left, they were all each other had. Christie had already started growing up too quickly, taking over some of the household chores to make up for Dad not being there. Sandy was glad they could be together and enjoy their mother-daughter time.
“Blow your candle out and make a wish,” Sandy said, and both mother and child extinguished their birthday lights simultaneously. Both were thinking fervently of their wish to change how old they were. A slight tingle went through their bodies.
As they slowly dug into their ice cream, their bodies started to change. Christie started to grow a little taller in her chair, though from her perspective, the room’s ceiling was shrinking. Over just a few seconds, her body was maturing well past her eight years. Puberty was starting to kick in, and her little dress was stretched and contorted with her developing curves. Small breasts blossomed in the front while feminine contours now decorated her hips and buttocks. Christie’s ears became pierced and her facial features matured into the look of a teenager.
Meanwhile, Sandra was changing as well. Crow’s feet and laugh lines disappeared from her face, as signs of aging started to vanish. The changes weren’t strictly limited to her face. When she was pregnant with Christie, she had gained a significant amount of “baby weight,” and hadn’t managed to shake it off. Now, those pounds were fading away. Her wide, child-bearing hips were narrowing, and the rest of the fat was melting off her body. Sandy’s arms became thinner and narrower, losing that “old lady arm’ effect, while her tummy flattened and her thighs became more spindly. Her breasts were lifted as well, losing the slight sag she had developed in her late 30s. Her body looked just as it did before she had become pregnant.
Sandy and Christie looked up at the same time, staring into each other’s eyes. Sandy’s blackish blue eyes penetrated the brown eyes of her now teenaged daughter, as Christie looked back at her much younger mother.
“Honey?’ Sandy asked, her voice tight with fear and surprise. “What’s going on?”
“I don’t know, mom.” Christie said, surprising them both with the older sound of her voice.
“How old do I look?” Sandy asked.
“Early 30s I guess,” Christie said. “Are you old enough to have a sixteen year old child? You would have been a child yourself when you were pregnant with me.”
“I was thirty two when I was pregnant with you,” Sandy said, remembering it clearly.
“Yeah,” Christie replied. “But something has changed us.”
Just then, Christie and Sandy could feel themselves start to tingle again. This time, they did not turn away to look at their ice cream - they stared intently into each other’s eyes. Sandy saw her mother grow even younger. Her reddish brown hair went from a matronly style to a modern one, while the years vanished from her face. All wrinkles vanished, and her skin seemed to have a youthful glow to it. Her old fashioned dress was replaced by a tank top and a mini skirt, which showed off her trim, youthful figure.
Sandy saw her daughter grow up before her eyes. Her little girl’s dress was replaced with a woman’s, while her body finished developing. Her breasts swelled out in front of her, and her height continued to grow a couple of inches. Christie’s face bore the makeup of a mature woman, not a child. Her hairstyle had evolved first from a little girl’s pigtails to a teenager’s wild tresses. Now it was long, straight, and very lovely.
“Can I get you two anything?” the waiter said as he walked past the table. He apparently did not notice anything was amiss.
“I think need a drink,” Sandy said, her voice sounding a bit higher than it had before. She wasn’t sure if this was from the shock of the change or if her vocal chords had changed as well.
“I’ll need to see some ID,” the waiter said. It was the first time Sandy had been carded in a decade.
When she produced it from her purse, it contained a picture of her younger self, and her maiden name.
“Oh wow, your 21st birthday. Congratulations. I guess this is your first legal drink?” he asked.
“Um, I guess so,” Sandy said, still feeling confused.
“Well, drink up,” he said after he returned with the drink. “I’m sure your older sister here is the designated driver.”
The phrase ‘older sister’ hit both women like a sledgehammer. Since neither had a mirror, neither was aware until that moment that they had changed so much that the daughter was now older than her own mother.
“Nobody noticed,” Christie said. “And your driver’s license says you’re twenty one. What happened to us?”
“I think I know,” Sandy said as the realization hit her like a freight train. “You wished to be older, remember? And, silently, I wished to be younger. We both got our wish.”
“I didn’t think birthday wishes actually came true!” Christie exclaimed. “If that’s how it works, why didn’t I get my pony when I was five?”
“I don’t know all the rules either,” Sandy said. “But for, this seems to be who we are.” After they paid for the meal - they split the bill - they gingerly rose from their feet and left the restaurant. Christie enjoyed how many men seemed to be eyeing her new body and the poise and grace that now characterized her walk.
Sandy, meanwhile was equally enjoying the new attention. When she was 40, she had figured her dating days were behind her - now her main responsibility was to care for her child. Now she knew she’d get attention and dates.
Before they started the car, Christie insisted on getting the registration from the glove department to see who’s car it was. It was registered in Christie’s name, so she insisted on driving them home - as she now had a driver’s license, one that said she was 24.
Christie checked her cell phone’s GPS recent destinations to find out where they lived. Home turned out to be small apartment near a college campus. From reading papers strewn about, the two learned that Sandy was a junior in her undergrad and Christie was working on her Master’s thesis. Both of them took some time to look over their new bodies in the mirror, amazed at how much they had changed.
“So this is our life now,” Sandy remarked with a sigh. “I can’t believe I’m majoring in music. It’s what I always wanted to major in. I dropped out last time, but this time I’m going to finish school.”
Christie walked over to Sandy and gave her a hug. Ever since her father had left, she had tried to be there for her mom, growing up as fast as she could. Now, though, she was her own mom’s older sister! It thrilled her with excitement and contentment at the same time. Now she really could be the big protector she’d always wanted to be.
Christie was slightly taller than Sandy, and she leaned down and stroked her sister’s hair affectionately. “You’ve got a second chance,” she said. “You’re going to do everything the way you wanted this time,” she said. “The right major, the right job, the right husband,” Christie cooed.
“What makes you really think it will turn out better this time?” Sandy asked, feeling fearful.
“Because last time you didn’t have a big sister looking out for you,” Christie said. “I’ll always be here for you,” she whispered into Sandy’s ear.
A tear made it’s way down Sandy’s face, and she held onto her older sister tightly. She never wanted to let go.
“All right, one birthday,” the waiter said with a beaming smile.
“Actually,” the eight year old girl called out. “It’s two birthdays!” she said as she pointed back at her mom.
“Wow, you two were both born on the same day?” the waiter asked, and both mother and child nodded in reply. “All right, two birthdays coming up.” Soon, two scoops of ice cream were presented, along with blazing candles and an artless rendition of “Happy Birthday” by a trio of waitstaff.
“What will you wish for, Christie?” her mother, Sandy, asked.
“I don’t know. I wish I wasn’t turning eight. I wish I was all grown up,” the girl said with a bubbly exuberance.
Sandy was turning 40 years old, and she couldn’t help but wish for a different number for herself as well. She longed for the days of her youth, back when she was young, beautiful, and bereft of all responsibilities. She was glad, at least, that she had a close relationship with her child. After her husband had left, they were all each other had. Christie had already started growing up too quickly, taking over some of the household chores to make up for Dad not being there. Sandy was glad they could be together and enjoy their mother-daughter time.
“Blow your candle out and make a wish,” Sandy said, and both mother and child extinguished their birthday lights simultaneously. Both were thinking fervently of their wish to change how old they were. A slight tingle went through their bodies.
As they slowly dug into their ice cream, their bodies started to change. Christie started to grow a little taller in her chair, though from her perspective, the room’s ceiling was shrinking. Over just a few seconds, her body was maturing well past her eight years. Puberty was starting to kick in, and her little dress was stretched and contorted with her developing curves. Small breasts blossomed in the front while feminine contours now decorated her hips and buttocks. Christie’s ears became pierced and her facial features matured into the look of a teenager.
Meanwhile, Sandra was changing as well. Crow’s feet and laugh lines disappeared from her face, as signs of aging started to vanish. The changes weren’t strictly limited to her face. When she was pregnant with Christie, she had gained a significant amount of “baby weight,” and hadn’t managed to shake it off. Now, those pounds were fading away. Her wide, child-bearing hips were narrowing, and the rest of the fat was melting off her body. Sandy’s arms became thinner and narrower, losing that “old lady arm’ effect, while her tummy flattened and her thighs became more spindly. Her breasts were lifted as well, losing the slight sag she had developed in her late 30s. Her body looked just as it did before she had become pregnant.
Sandy and Christie looked up at the same time, staring into each other’s eyes. Sandy’s blackish blue eyes penetrated the brown eyes of her now teenaged daughter, as Christie looked back at her much younger mother.
“Honey?’ Sandy asked, her voice tight with fear and surprise. “What’s going on?”
“I don’t know, mom.” Christie said, surprising them both with the older sound of her voice.
“How old do I look?” Sandy asked.
“Early 30s I guess,” Christie said. “Are you old enough to have a sixteen year old child? You would have been a child yourself when you were pregnant with me.”
“I was thirty two when I was pregnant with you,” Sandy said, remembering it clearly.
“Yeah,” Christie replied. “But something has changed us.”
Just then, Christie and Sandy could feel themselves start to tingle again. This time, they did not turn away to look at their ice cream - they stared intently into each other’s eyes. Sandy saw her mother grow even younger. Her reddish brown hair went from a matronly style to a modern one, while the years vanished from her face. All wrinkles vanished, and her skin seemed to have a youthful glow to it. Her old fashioned dress was replaced by a tank top and a mini skirt, which showed off her trim, youthful figure.
Sandy saw her daughter grow up before her eyes. Her little girl’s dress was replaced with a woman’s, while her body finished developing. Her breasts swelled out in front of her, and her height continued to grow a couple of inches. Christie’s face bore the makeup of a mature woman, not a child. Her hairstyle had evolved first from a little girl’s pigtails to a teenager’s wild tresses. Now it was long, straight, and very lovely.
“Can I get you two anything?” the waiter said as he walked past the table. He apparently did not notice anything was amiss.
“I think need a drink,” Sandy said, her voice sounding a bit higher than it had before. She wasn’t sure if this was from the shock of the change or if her vocal chords had changed as well.
“I’ll need to see some ID,” the waiter said. It was the first time Sandy had been carded in a decade.
When she produced it from her purse, it contained a picture of her younger self, and her maiden name.
“Oh wow, your 21st birthday. Congratulations. I guess this is your first legal drink?” he asked.
“Um, I guess so,” Sandy said, still feeling confused.
“Well, drink up,” he said after he returned with the drink. “I’m sure your older sister here is the designated driver.”
The phrase ‘older sister’ hit both women like a sledgehammer. Since neither had a mirror, neither was aware until that moment that they had changed so much that the daughter was now older than her own mother.
“Nobody noticed,” Christie said. “And your driver’s license says you’re twenty one. What happened to us?”
“I think I know,” Sandy said as the realization hit her like a freight train. “You wished to be older, remember? And, silently, I wished to be younger. We both got our wish.”
“I didn’t think birthday wishes actually came true!” Christie exclaimed. “If that’s how it works, why didn’t I get my pony when I was five?”
“I don’t know all the rules either,” Sandy said. “But for, this seems to be who we are.” After they paid for the meal - they split the bill - they gingerly rose from their feet and left the restaurant. Christie enjoyed how many men seemed to be eyeing her new body and the poise and grace that now characterized her walk.
Sandy, meanwhile was equally enjoying the new attention. When she was 40, she had figured her dating days were behind her - now her main responsibility was to care for her child. Now she knew she’d get attention and dates.
Before they started the car, Christie insisted on getting the registration from the glove department to see who’s car it was. It was registered in Christie’s name, so she insisted on driving them home - as she now had a driver’s license, one that said she was 24.
Christie checked her cell phone’s GPS recent destinations to find out where they lived. Home turned out to be small apartment near a college campus. From reading papers strewn about, the two learned that Sandy was a junior in her undergrad and Christie was working on her Master’s thesis. Both of them took some time to look over their new bodies in the mirror, amazed at how much they had changed.
“So this is our life now,” Sandy remarked with a sigh. “I can’t believe I’m majoring in music. It’s what I always wanted to major in. I dropped out last time, but this time I’m going to finish school.”
Christie walked over to Sandy and gave her a hug. Ever since her father had left, she had tried to be there for her mom, growing up as fast as she could. Now, though, she was her own mom’s older sister! It thrilled her with excitement and contentment at the same time. Now she really could be the big protector she’d always wanted to be.
Christie was slightly taller than Sandy, and she leaned down and stroked her sister’s hair affectionately. “You’ve got a second chance,” she said. “You’re going to do everything the way you wanted this time,” she said. “The right major, the right job, the right husband,” Christie cooed.
“What makes you really think it will turn out better this time?” Sandy asked, feeling fearful.
“Because last time you didn’t have a big sister looking out for you,” Christie said. “I’ll always be here for you,” she whispered into Sandy’s ear.
A tear made it’s way down Sandy’s face, and she held onto her older sister tightly. She never wanted to let go.